In Texas, property owners are responsible for ensuring their premises are safe for guests. When they fail to do so, innocent visitors can slip and fall. Sadly, slip and falls often lead to serious injuries that can leave victims with hefty medical expenses, lost earning capacity, and other damages.
If you sustain an injury in such an accident, reach out to an experienced slip and fall lawyer at The Law Giant, Personal Injury & Accident Lawyers right away. To schedule a free consultation of your case with The Law Giant, contact us today at 866-523-4167.
Tips for Reducing the Risk of Slip and Falls
Regardless of the type of property you own or maintain, here are some ways you can remove hazards and prevent slip and falls:
Keep Walking Surfaces Clear
One of the most common causes of slip and fall accidents is clutter on walking surfaces. Keeping your floors and other walking areas clear and free and clear can eliminate dangerous hazards. You should get into the habit of checking your walking surfaces for clutter on a daily basis.
Install Adequate Lighting
Often, guests slip and fall when they are in a store or another type of property because they simply cannot see. By installing plenty of lighting inside and outside of your facility, you can illuminate areas that may be slip and fall hazards. If you have steps on your property, be sure to light them up as well.
Use Signage
If you know of hazardous areas on your property, make sure guests are aware of them. Use clear signage or reflective tape to call attention to any dangerous areas. Try to resolve any of these issues as soon as possible.
Add Non-Skid Rugs
Slip and falls frequently arise because of slick surfaces. If you have hardwood or tile floor in areas that are particularly prone to splashes, adding non-skid rugs can lower the risk of an accident. Adding rugs is an easy and affordable alternative to redoing the floors.
Clean Up Spills Right Away
If you own a grocery store, restaurant, or another similar property, it’s likely that spills are a frequent occurrence. As soon as you notice a mess, place warning signs around it and clean it up immediately.
Secure and Electrical Cords and Wires
Since most of us depend on technology, it’s not uncommon for us to have various loose electrical cords and wires in our private or public property. Secure these cords to the walls to reduce slip and fall accidents.
Be Mindful of Changing Weather Conditions
When the weather changes, you can make adjustments to your property to increase its safety. For instance, on a snowy day, you may need to add salt and clear your walkways. Whenever it’s especially windy, it may be wise to collect and debris that gathers near your front door.
Encourage Safety for Guests and Employees
As a property owner, you have the right to establish practices to keep guests and employees safe. Provide spaces for your guests and employees to place their items so that their personal belongings don’t pose any hazards. Require your guests to wear shoes and shirts. Make it known that running is not permitted.
Proving Property Owner Liability in a Slip and Fall
After people suffer injuries in slip-and-fall accidents, some may assume that they can sue the owner of the property where the injury occurred for their damages. In many instances, this is a successful path to resolving the matter. But that is not always the case.
Texas law requires slip-and-fall accidents — and all other premises liability lawsuits — to meet certain standards in order to justify suing property owners for any damages that allegedly occurred on the premises.
A property owner may hold liability for an injury suffered on the premises if it occurs because of a hazard of which the owner or employees were aware but failed to address. If a hazard existed on the property, but the owner could not reasonably have known about or addressed it, the claim may not stand up in court.
Likewise, if a property owner should reasonably have known about a hazard, he or she may be liable for any injuries and damages that ensued. In many cases, the claim revolves around whether or not it’s reasonable for the victim to expect that the owner or employees had knowledge of the hazard. As one can imagine, that’s not always simple to ascertain.
If the owner’s actions created the hazard, either directly or indirectly, this may also imply liability. For instance, if an owner avoids some type of upkeep or maintenance, such as the repair of potholes in a parking lot, any damage caused by the potholes may be the lot owner’s responsibility.
Building a strong slip-and-fall-claim
As soon as an accident occurs, it is important to seek professional medical attention. Victims may suffer injuries that do not cause pain immediately, and the sooner they are properly treated, the less likelihood they could worsen.
Once victims deal with immediate medical concerns, it is time to gather evidence to build the claim. Documenting the scene of the accident as soon as possible is prudent so no evidence gets overlooked or altered.
Many victims find that the prospect of pursuing a medical claim is too much to handle while they also are focusing on their physical recoveries from their injuries. A victim’s legal team can offer guidance during the claims process and beyond, like helping to identify viable strategies for seeking full compensation and not settling for less.
Contact a Texas Slip and Fall Lawyer for Help
If you’ve been hurt in a slip and fall accident, it is in your best interest to contact The Law Giant, Personal Injury & Accident Lawyers right away. We have years of experience helping slip and fall victims, and we’re prepared to help you. We will assist in determining whether you have a valid case, and we will fight for you to obtain compensation from the negligent party.
To schedule a free, initial evaluation of your case, contact The Law Giant today at 866-523-4167.
