Personal injuries, even those that result from seemingly simple incidents such as slips and falls, can have a devastating effect on your life. You may need to seek out emergency medical care and may experience months or years of rehabilitation. At the same time, the fall may affect your ability to earn a living or fully enjoy your life.
In many situations, you may be able to collect compensation for your losses. Landowners that allow slips and falls to occur on their property may be liable to provide payments needed to make you whole again. Even so, the mere fact that an injury occurs on another’s land is not enough to prevail in a slip and fall case.
An Austin slip and fall accident lawyer can help you. Our legal team can work to explain your legal rights, prove how a property owner may have violated those rights, and pursue your case for appropriate compensation.
Call in the Strong Arm of Loncar Lyon Jenkins today at (877) 239-4878 for your free consultation.
Situations That May Lead to Slips and Falls
Slips and falls are unfortunately common scenarios that have the potential to inflict serious injuries. A quick moment in time is all that is necessary for you to lose your balance, slide on a slick floor, or fall down a flight of stairs.
Many slips and falls are the consequence of a landowner failing to keep you safe. This usually is the result of poor maintenance or an inability to quickly identify and fix a temporary hazard.
Some examples of situations that may lead to slips and falls include:
- Standing water
- Loose carpeting
- Icy walkways
- Potholes in sidewalks or parking lots
- Unsteady handrails
- Slick floors due to waxing
To prevail in a claim for damages, it is necessary to link an injury to a dangerous condition. A lawyer can help you to make this vital connection.
At the same time, it is often necessary to justify your own decisions leading up to the fall. Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §33.001 concerns comparative negligence. In short, a court will evaluate the actions of all parties in an accident to assign blame.
If a court believes that you share fault by using a cell phone, ignoring warning signs, or wearing improper footwear considering the conditions, you may receive limited compensation. A lawyer could help you to demonstrate that a landowner’s negligence was the primary reason for why the slip and fall occurred.
For a free legal consultation with a Slip and Fall Injury lawyer serving Austin, call 877-239-4878
Whether a Landowner Is Liable for a Fall Depends on Your Status Under the Law
While it is true that landowners must take proper precautions to prevent injuries that occur on their property, the law provides specific guidance as to the extent of these precautions. More specifically, the law separates visitors into three categories. Depending on the category into which you fit into these categories, the extent to which an owner owes you protection will vary.
Invitees
Invitees enjoy the highest level of protection. These are people who enter land for the benefit of the owner. They can include shoppers, patrons at a movie theater, or churchgoers. Here, the landowner must warn visitors about unsafe conditions of which they have actual knowledge—or would have discovered after performing an inspection.
Licensees
Licensees are people who enter land for their own benefit, such as a salesperson going to a house to speak about a product. Here, the property owner must warn the salesperson about unsafe conditions about which they have knowledge. Unlike invitees, landowners here have no duty to inspect the land for potential hidden hazards.
Trespassers
Finally, trespassers enter land without the permission of the owner. Landowners must only refrain from causing intentional harm to a trespasser. An example includes setting a trap.
An Austin slip and fall accident lawyer could provide more information about your legal status following an incident. Call Loncar Lyon Jenkins at (877) 239-4878 to learn more.
Austin Slip and Fall Injury Lawyer Near Me 877-239-4878
You Deserve Compensation to Cover Your Losses
Slips and falls can be traumatic events. These incidents have the potential to affect every part of your life. In extreme situations, you may feel the effects for months or years after the fact. As a result, any claim for compensation must demand appropriate payments to cover your losses.
Seek Medical Compensation
At the core of a case is a physical injury. Slips and falls can lead to:
- Sprained tendons
- Broken bones
- Separated joints
- Concussions
- Paralysis
No matter how severe your injuries may be, an at-fault landowner is liable to provide fair payment for the costs of necessary medical care.
You Can Pursue Non-Economic Damages
In addition, many slip and fall cases include a level of emotional trauma. This can take the form of pain and suffering, lost quality of life, and mental health concerns. While it can be difficult to place a dollar value on these losses, the legal team at our firm can work with you to evaluate how the incident has affected your quality of life.
Your Lost Income Can Be a Part of Your Claim for Damages
Another potential loss after an accident is income. If an injury forces you to miss time on the job to seek medical care or make a recovery, a landowner is responsible to cover those losses. In severe cases that result in permanent injury, these payments may also cover future lost income.
It is essential to remember that even if an injury has a permanent effect on your life, there is a limited time to demand payment after a fall. Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code §16.003 concerns the statute of limitations on personal injury claims. Simply put, you may have as little as two years after an accident to demand compensation. A lawyer can help to pursue your case for appropriate compensation within the applicable time limits.
Contact our Austin Slip and Fall Injury Attorneys today
Take a Step Towards Protecting Your Legal Rights With Loncar Lyon Jenkins
Slips and falls can affect every part of your life. Landowners who fail to properly maintain their land (or who fail to warn you about a hazard) may be liable to cover your losses. These losses may include medical bills, lost wages, and a reduction in your quality of life.
While the law is clear that landowners must protect you while you are visiting, the extent of this protection can vary. It is no surprise that people become confused or frustrated when talking with insurance companies.
The legal team at Loncar Lyon Jenkins wants to help you. Calling an Austin slip and fall accident lawyer can allow you to understand your rights and pursue your case for appropriate compensation.
Call us today at (877) 239-4878 for your free consultation.
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