Personal injury law, including premises liability, is based on the belief that we all owe a duty to others in our orbit to take reasonable measures to prevent causing them harm. A substantial portion of personal injury claims in Austin stems from Texas premises liability laws. All Texas property owners owe a duty of reasonable care to ensure that they promptly address or repair safety hazards to those lawfully on their property. If they fail to do so and the result is a serious injury to someone, the property owner is liable for the damages—typically paid through their property insurance.
Premises liability claims are often more complex than they should be, due to common insurance company tactics to prioritize their profits over payouts. If you’ve suffered an injury due to a negligent property owner in Austin, an Austin premises liability lawyer ensures prompt action and a streamlined process to maximize your chance of an ample settlement. Call an Austin personal injury lawyer Shaw Cowart, LLP today so we can begin strategizing your economic recovery while you work on your physical recovery.
Why Choose Us for Your Premises Liability Attorneys in Austin?
The premises liability lawyers at Shaw Cowart, LLP, understand the pain and frustration of suffering a painful injury that was entirely preventable if only a property owner had done the right thing. We’ll use our strong local reputation and track record of successful cases to put a powerful voice behind your Texas premises liability claim. Our legal team delivers the following advantages for our injured clients:
- A free consultation and contingency-based payments so you pay nothing until we secure your compensation
- We offer individualized strategies to fit the unique circumstances of your case rather than taking a cookie-cutter approach to premises liability in Texas
- We skillfully investigate claims to document critical evidence and craft a compelling case
- Our resolution-based approach always seeks a settlement first so you don’t have to face a courtroom, but we have also experienced litigators who are more than ready to argue your case in court if required to secure the compensation you deserve
- An open-communication policy so you always have direct access to your attorney and honest communication throughout the claim process
Our premises liability lawyers work closely with every client so we get to know them and understand the impacts of the injury on their life and their family. We take each client’s case personally and strive for the best possible outcome for their claim whether it’s against a single negligent dog owner in a dog bite claim or a powerful corporate entity who allowed an injury to occur at a commercial business.
Examples of Common Premises Liability Claims
Most people think of slip-and-fall accidents when they hear “premises liability.” While slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall cases are very common examples of premises liability, they are far from the only type of injury claim based on property owner negligence. The most common examples of premises liability claims in Austin include the following:
- Slip-and-fall accident
- Dog bites
- Swimming pool accidents
- Fires
- Water leaks
- Negligent security
- Elevator/escalator accidents
- Lead exposure
- Balcony collapses
- Falling objects
- Stairway collapse
- Inadequate warning signage
- Presence of dangerous construction
- Inadequate barriers
- Poorly marked exits and fire escapes
- Negligent tree care, such as failure to trim dead branches or remove dead trees
If you aren’t sure if your injury qualifies for compensation through a premises liability claim, the premises liability lawyers in Austin at Shaw Cowart LLP will evaluate your case during your free consultation.
Common Injuries in Premises Liability Claims
Serious injuries quickly become costly, with medical bills piling up at the same time you may be unable to return to work. Serious injuries may be life-altering, making it difficult to earn a living. Even minor injuries can quickly cause financial hardship with only a single missed paycheck. Recovering these financial damages through a successful personal injury claim relieves the financial consequences of a preventable injury such as the following common injuries in premises liability claims in Texas:
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Knee injuries
- Traumatic head injuries
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Spinal cord injuries
- Illness from lead or other toxic exposures
- Soft tissue injuries like torn ligaments and sprains
- Cuts, bruises, and abrasions
Any injury that results in damages like medical care costs, as well as pain and suffering, may qualify for a premises liability claim if it occurred due to a property owner’s carelessness, negligence, or by default—meaning they failed to take action when they should have and allowed an injury to occur to someone lawfully on their property.
What Damages Can I Recover in My Austin Premises Liability Claim?
The consequences of a painful slip-and-fall or other premises liability injury are often both economic and non-economic. These consequences are your “damages” in a premises liability claim. Common damages in Austin premises liability claims include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages and future income loss
- Diminished earning capacity due to disability
- Pain and suffering compensation
- Compensation for other non-economic damages that might apply such as disfigurement, traumatic limb loss, or loss of enjoyment of life
If an injury victim dies as a result of injuries sustained due to property owner negligence, the decedent’s close family members may file a wrongful death lawsuit and recover damages such as funeral expenses and lost income and benefits for the number of working years the deceased individual had remaining to them before their death. Speak to a wrongful death lawyer in Austin today to learn more.
Does Premises Liability in Austin Cover Anyone on a Property?
Property owners owe a duty of care to take reasonable measures to prevent injuries to anyone lawfully on their property. If they breach this duty of care and it causes an injury, the injury victim can make a claim to recover compensation for their damages. Premises liability doesn’t apply to trespassers who are unlawfully on a property or those injured while committing a crime on the property. It’s important to note that children are never considered trespassers even when not expressly invited to a property. Property owners must reasonably anticipate that children could enter their property and must take reasonable measures to prevent them from injuries.
Call The Premises Liability Lawyers at Shaw Cowart, LLP Today
If you or a loved one suffered an injury with financial damages as well as physical harm, and a negligent property owner or business manager was at fault for the injury, the attorneys at Shaw Cowart, LLP are ready to help you recover the compensation you deserve so you can focus on recovering. Contact our Austin law office today for a free consultation about your chances of a successful financial recovery.