Did you know? Slip and fall accidents result in about 9 million ER visits each year in the United States!
If you've been injured in a slip and fall accident, you must be wondering how you can hold the at-fault party liable and collect damages for your injuries? Before you make a personal injury claim against the person(s) responsible for the accident, however, you need to get familiar with what 'slip and fall' really means.
Read on as we describe a slip and fall accident. Or contact personal injury lawyer Chelsie King Garza for assistance with your slip and fall case today. Contact us online or call 713-893-8808.
What is a Slip and Fall Injury?
The answer is simple:
If you slip, trip and fall and get injured on someone else's property, you have suffered a slip and fall injury. It could result from wet floors, uneven flooring, cracked or uneven pavements, unexpected obstacles, and inadequate lighting.
Slip and fall injuries, while often non-fatal, have the potential to cause life-long damage. Some of the common injuries that could result from a slip and fall accident include:
- Broken bones
- Sprained ankles or wrists
- Knee damage
- Shoulder dislocations or muscle strains
- Spine and nerve damage
- Traumatic brain injury
- Cuts and bruises
Slip and Fall Laws in Texas
Texas laws allow a person injured in a slip and fall accident to seek compensation, but it is not straightforward.
Texas laws classify slip and fall claims under 'premises liability' cases. Since these are premises liability cases, you must prove that the property owner was responsible for dangerous property conditions -- and, by extension, for your injuries.
Other laws that can affect your slip-and-fall lawsuit are:
The statute of limitations: You only have up to two years to file a slip and fall claim in Texas' civil court system. The "clock" starts running the day the accident occurs. (Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code section 16.003)
Modified comparative negligence: If you bear some responsibility for your slip and fall accident, any court award you receive will be reduced according to the percentage of your fault, as long as it is 50 percent or less. For example, if the jury finds that your damages total $100,000 and that you are 30 percent at fault for the accident, you will only receive $70,000 in damages (that's the original $100,000 minus 30 percent or $30,000). (Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 33, Subchapter A)
Contact a Houston Personal Injury Lawyer for Help
If you or a loved one has been injured due to a slip and fall accident and need a personal injury attorney in Houston, contact Chelsie King Garza today.
Ms. Garza can assist you through the entire process of filing a slip and fall lawsuit in Texas and work to get you full compensation for your injuries. That compensation may include your medical bills, lost wages, and money for your pain and suffering.
Contact Chelsie King Garza online or call (713) 893-8808 for a free, no-obligation consultation.
