Premises Liability

Premises liability is one of the more common types of legal practice.  It involves the liability of a property owner from injuries to individuals incurred while on their property.  The typical type of premises liability situations will be slip and fall, inadequate maintenance, defective conditions, or inadequate security cases.

Who does Premises Liability Law affect?

Premises liability can affect individuals that fall into one of three categories: invitee, licensee, and trespasser.  Invitees are persons that are invited onto the premises in order to conduct business, such as shoppers in a department store.  Licensees can be someone who is on the property for non-business reason. This will many times be a social guest visiting the property owner.  Generally, invitees and licensees are shown the highest duty of care, with the third category, trespassers, shown the lowest duty of care.  Trespassers are individuals that come onto the property without an invitation or business reason for being on the property.  When property owners are not aware of trespassers they do not have a duty to warn trespassers, but if the property owner is aware of a trespasser or the possibility of a trespasser they have a duty to warn them dangers on the property.  An example of this might be if there is an electric fence on the premises or if there are children that might be on the property.  Finally, for there to be a liability issue there must be negligence or a wrongful act committed by the property owner.

Why is a Houston Premises Liability Attorney important?

Property owners have a responsibility to those that come onto their property and are injured or could potentially be injured.  A Houston premises liability attorney can advise you on steps that can be taken to avoid injury to those on your property.  In the event that someone in the above mentioned categories is injured they will need a Houston premises liability attorney to advise them on their rights and assist them in getting the restitution that is due them from the property owner.  To contact one of the Houston premises attorneys at Pipken Ferguson, please fill out this form.