San Antonio premises liability lawyer

Premises liability is a body of law that holds property owners (or managers) potentially liable for accidents or injuries that occur on their property.

Property owners are legally responsible to keep their property safe for visitors. This “duty of care” includes taking steps to discover any hazardous conditions in a timely manner, and taking immediate action to either fix those conditions or providing an adequate warning. Property owners that fail to do this may be considered negligent and liable for any injuries that result from the failure.

You don’t necessarily have to prove that the property owner knew about the hazard beforehand, as long as you can show that the property owner should have known about it if they had been acting in a reasonably responsible manner. Examples of hazards or situations that may result in a premises liability accident include:

• Slipping and falling on floors or sidewalks due to flooding, leaks, or ice
• Insufficient building security
• Improper building maintenance and fixture installations
• Structural collapse
• Defective elevators and escalators
• Dog bites
• Electrical hazards and electrocution
• Unsecured or unsafe swimming pools or hot tubs
• Exposure to toxic chemicals and other hazards

When you enter someone else’s property, the owner may have a duty to protect or warn you about certain dangers. However, not all visitors get the same level of care:

• Invitees: Business owners must warn and protect customers, business patrons, service providers, and others who enter a business for a shared financial purpose from all reasonably identifiable hazards.
• Licensees: Property owners must warn social guests, salespeople, and other people who visit a property for their own benefit about known hazards.
• Trespassers: When an adult enters a property without permission, the property owner is financially responsible if they intentionally injure them or recklessly cause them harm. Different rules may apply to children who trespass in Texas.

However, even if you can prove that a negligent property owner violated their duty of care, you still may face defenses and other legal challenges. For example, the insurance company might argue that you were aware of the hazard or that it was so obvious that you should have recognized its danger. When these efforts are successful, victims and their families lose the opportunity to collect the financial compensation they need to put their lives back together.

In these cases, it’s best to consult with an experienced San Antonio premises liability lawyer. Our San Antonio personal injury lawyers handle serious premises liability injury cases involving catastrophic injuries, major surgeries, or wrongful death claims.

While most premises liability accidents cause relatively minor harm, some victims suffer life-threatening injuries. At Crosley Law, we fight for seriously injured people and work hard to quickly resolve their claims and get them a fair resolution.

Our premises liability attorneys have handled complex claims involving injuries like:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and post-concussive syndrome
• Broken bones
• Crushing injuries
• Herniated discs and other back injuries
• Damage to knees, shoulders, and other joints
• Neuropathy or nerve damage
• Spinal cord injuries
• Soft tissue injuries
• Burns and chemical exposure
• Electrocution
• Lung and heart damage

For example, Crosley Law represented a 22-year-old student who suffered fatal injuries after plummeting from a second-story balcony. Our client was simply leaning on the balcony’s railing when it gave way. We aggressively negotiated with the apartment owners and their maintenance company—and won our client’s family a $1.6 million settlement.

If you have questions about injuries you sustained because of a property owner’s negligence, contact Crosley Law today. We’ll listen to your story and educate you about your legal options during your free initial consultation.

Take the following steps as soon as possible if you or a loved one has been injured:

• Seek immediate medical attention. Even if you think you aren’t hurt badly. Sometimes symptoms can be delayed.
• Document the scene. Take pictures or video of the hazard that caused your injury. This is especially important for “temporary” hazards like wet floors or poor lighting, which may not persist for long.
• Get witness information. Eyewitnesses can provide crucial testimony if you wish to pursue a premises liability lawsuit.
• Report the incident. Seek out the property owner or manager as soon as possible to alert them about the dangerous condition and your injury. Ask for a copy of the report.
• Keep records. Keep track of medical bills, lost wages, and other costs associated with your premises liability injury. Consider keeping a journal describing your symptoms and how your pain has affected your lifestyle.
• Contact a San Antonio premises liability attorney. Premises liability cases are frequently complex and difficult, and preventable mistakes (even in the first few days) can complicate your claim. An experienced premises liability lawyer can begin investigating right away and help you build the strongest possible case for fair compensation.

Our law firm uses an extensive network of resources and experts to identify the causes of our clients’ injuries, value their claims, and hold negligent property owners accountable.

After a life-changing injury, you may have many questions about who was to blame and what your legal options are. Unfortunately, you’ll probably find that the property owner and their insurance company refuse to answer your questions and treat you like an enemy.

Insurance companies often try to discourage victims from seeking compensation by saying they waived their right to compensation or claiming the hazard was “open and obvious.”

To successfully resolve your premises liability case and recover the financial compensation you deserve, you’ll need to work with an attorney who can conduct a detailed investigation of your accident, prove that the property owner acted negligently, and accurately calculate your damages.

For example, in a record-breaking trampoline park liability claim, Crosley Law attorneys worked with a team of experts who helped us document the facility’s reckless conduct, our young client’s treatment plan and anticipated damages, and the long-term impact of brain trauma. Using a carefully prepared trial strategy, our attorneys convinced the jury that the facility was 100% responsible for our client’s injuries. They also successfully argued for punitive damages because of the business’s reckless disregard for its customers’ safety.

If you or a loved one suffered injuries because of poor property maintenance, failure to provide adequate warning about hazards, or other negligent behavior, contact Crosley Law today. Our premises liability lawyers can help you understand your legal rights and options. We serve injured people throughout Bexar County and Texas.

If you or a loved one have been hurt due to the negligence of a property owner, you may be entitled to compensation for damages including:

• Medical expenses (both past and future)
• Lost wages (including reduced future earning capacity)
• Household services
• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional anguish
• Loss of quality of life

Calculating damages in a personal injury case is often a difficult process, especially when serious injuries are involved. Insurance companies frequently try to pin the blame on accident victims and minimize their injuries in order to pay as little as possible.

Working with an experienced premises liability lawyer gives you the best chance to negotiate fair compensation for all your valid damages. Studies repeatedly show that accident victims who retain legal representation are able to obtain significantly more compensation on average than those who represent themselves.