Dallas Premises Liability Lawyer
40+ Years
of Combined Experience
5.0 Google Rating
with over 400 Reviews
Over $125M
Won for Clients That Have Become Family
If you or a loved one experienced harm due to a property owner neglecting to safely maintain their premises, a Dallas premises liability lawyer at Shamieh Law can help you obtain compensation. Property owners have a legal duty to keep their properties free of hazards. Contact Shamieh Law today to get started on your claim and pursue the economic and non-economic damages you deserve.
Property owners and others who control properties have a legal duty to reasonably maintain their premises and either remove foreseeable hazards or warn people of their presence. If you or a loved one were hurt on someone else’s property, our personal injury lawyers in Dallas can help you pursue damages for your economic and non-economic harm and, in a worst-case scenario, for the death of a loved one. To schedule a free case evaluation, contact our Dallas office today by calling (214) 389-7333 or by submitting a form on our website.
Why Work With Shamieh Law’s Premises Liability Attorneys in Dallas
We take pride in helping people who need it. Our attorneys at Shamieh Law operate with the highest ethical standards and are committed to serving our clients.
Every day, we strive toward “winning with awareness.” That means treating our clients and everyone in the legal process with the respect, dignity, and compassion they deserve. Our approach to the law has helped us build a solid professional network that works to our clients’ benefit.
We understand the challenges our clients face after injuries, so we work tirelessly to secure the best results we can on their behalf. We take great pride in client testimonials of our legal knowledge, passion, communication skills, and ability to get results.
Our founding partner, Ramez Shamieh, holds an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, one of the highest recognitions in the legal industry. It is a testament to his legal ethics and professionalism, and he has passed these standards on to everyone at our personal injury law firm.
Our award-winning attorneys have recognition from several publications and organizations, including:
- The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
- Super Lawyers
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- The American Institute of Personal Injury Lawyers
- Texas Lawyer
Case Results
Our Shamieh Law attorneys understand that mounting financial and emotional stress makes the time after an accident difficult for our clients. We’ve helped hundreds of injury victims fight for their right to pursue compensation, and the following are some of prior case results:
- $5 million in negligent security lawsuit for the family of a store employee murdered by a robber after making outcries for more security
- $900,000 in a slip and fall at a beauty store requiring lumbar fusion and a spinal cord stimulator.
- $550,000 in a slip and fall caused by caterers spilling water that led to a traumatic brain injury.
- $525,000 in slip and fall on improper flooring material at a hotel that required cervical fusion.
- $350,000 in slip and fall at a fast food restaurant with no wet floor signs that caused a traumatic brain injury.
- $310,000 in slip and fall at a restaurant that failed to properly clean a food spill, leading to injuries requiring cervical discectomy and dental repair.
- $250,000 in a fall at a shopping center resulting in a foot fracture.
- $245,000 in a trip and fall that resulted in a broken jaw.
- $225,000 in a slip and fall at a gas station causing spinal injuries requiring lumbar discectomy.
- $200,000 in a slip and fall case resulting in severe lumbar and left shoulder injuries.
Premises Liability in Texas
Premises liability claims in Texas are based on the negligence of property owners, property managers, business owners, and others who control property. They are legally obligated to keep their properties reasonably safe and face liability if they fail at this duty.
The level of duty that property owners owe to a specific individual depends on why that person was on the property. There are three categories of potential plaintiffs in premises liability cases:
- Invitees have express or implied permission to be there from the person who controls the property. This includes people shopping at grocery stores or eating at restaurants, for example, and property owners owe them the highest level of care.
- Licensees are people on the property for purposes such as recreation or socializing. They have the owner’s permission to be there, and the owner owes them the second-highest duty of care.
- Trespassers are not permitted to be on the property, and property owners owe them the lowest level of care. It is difficult for a trespasser to make a successful claim in a premises liability case unless they can show that their injuries resulted from intentional harm by the owner. An exception in the law protects children harmed by attractive nuisances such as swimming pools.
To meet their duty of care, owners and other people responsible for properties must check them regularly for hazards and remove dangers or warn visitors of them.
What Types of Premises Liability Cases Do We Handle in Dallas?
Injuries on other people’s property can be related to:
- Slip and falls
- Falling objects
- Amusement park ride malfunction or other park issues
- Elevator or escalator malfunctions
- Inadequate security
- Swimming pool maintenance issues or lack of lifeguards and warning signs
- Stair or balcony collapses
- Failure to remove snow and ice
- Lack of fire safety equipment
- Poor lighting and uneven flooring in parking lots and garages
This list is not exhaustive. If you were hurt on someone else’s poorly maintained property through little or no fault of your own, contact a Shamieh Law Dallas premises liability lawyer for a free case evaluation. We will give you an honest assessment of your case and advise you on the best next steps.
Common Injuries in Premises Liability Accidents
Some injuries in premises liability cases are minor while others result in prolonged hospitalizations and, in the most severe cases, death. Common injuries on properties include:
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Sprains and bruising
- Burns
- Cuts and puncture wounds
- Pain and suffering
- Wrongful death
At Shamieh Law, we don’t choose our cases based on what they may be worth to us. We choose them to help people who deserve justice and compensation for their injuries. We will support you during every aspect of your case, whether it results in $1,000 or $1 million in damages.
Who May Be Responsible for My Injuries After an Accident?
It is essential to pinpoint who was responsible for caring for the property where you were hurt. The deciding factor is who controlled it and thus should have foreseen your harm. This could include:
- Property owners
- Business owners
- Property managers
- Homeowners
- Cleaning companies
- Security companies
It isn’t always easy to determine who is liable. If an owner rents a property, the owner and the renter may share responsibility for upkeep. A Shamieh Law Dallas premises liability attorney can help you determine the parties responsible for your claim.
Recovering Damages After a Premises Liability Accident in Dallas
When you seek compensation for an injury that occurred on someone else’s property, you can recover damages through their insurance or a lawsuit. You may collect through both if the insurance policy maximum doesn’t cover your damages.
You can collect for your economic harm, such as past and future medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost wages and future earnings, and the cost of adapting your home or vehicle to accommodate long-term disabling conditions.
You can also collect compensation for non-economic harm, such as pain and suffering or emotional distress.
In rare cases, you can also ask for exemplary damages in a premises liability claim. These damages are meant to punish defendants who act with gross negligence, malice, or fraud. It is challenging to receive exemplary damages, but If your case merits them, your Shamieh Law premises liability lawyer will fight vigorously for them to raise the value of your claim.
What Must an Injured Party Prove To Win a Premises Liability Case?
You must first demonstrate why you were on the property when you were hurt. Then, you must show that the person responsible for the property was negligent, which caused your injuries.
Showing that you were allowed on the property helps demonstrate the first of the four elements of negligence:
- The property owner owed you a duty of care
- They breached that duty
- That breach caused you harm
- You have damages due to the harm
An essential aspect of proving negligence in a premises liability case is showing that your injuries were foreseeable to the property owner. Their actions or omissions, not a sudden storm or other unforeseeable factors, must cause your harm. They must also have known of the existence of the hazard and had a chance to address it.
For example, a loose stair railing with previous reports to the owner or a wet floor after cleaning with no placement of warning signs could foreseeably lead to injuries. If you slip and fall within minutes of a spill in a grocery store, a judge will not likely hold the property owner responsible.
Under Texas’ comparative negligence law, you can only collect damages if you were 50 percent or less responsible for your injuries. The compensation you receive in a lawsuit is reduced proportionately to your level of blame. For example, if you were 10 percent responsible and your damages were $100,000, you could collect $90,000.
How Can a Dallas Premises Liability Lawyer Help With My Claim?
Premises liability cases can be complex, with defendants claiming they took reasonable care of their properties and couldn’t have known you would be hurt. Your ability to collect damages depends heavily on the strength of your evidence.
A skilled Shamieh Law Dallas premises liability lawyer will support you and help strengthen your case by:
- Helping you find a doctor who will document your injuries
- Collecting evidence such as witness statements, pictures, and videos
- Collaborating with seasoned investigators
- Hiring expert witnesses
- Helping you navigate insurance and medical paperwork
- Negotiating with insurance companies
- Fighting in court if necessary
Shamieh Law attorneys have been helping clients following injuries for over a decade. Let us put our experience, work ethic, strong communication skills, and track record to work for you.
How Long Do I Have To File a Premises Liability Lawsuit in Dallas?
According to the Texas personal injury statute of limitations, you have two years from your injury date to file a premises liability claim in Texas. Judges can hold off on starting the clock for this statute of limitations in minimal circumstances, for example, for minors or mentally incapacitated plaintiffs.
If your accident happened on government property, you must notify the proper agency of your intent to sue within six months.
If you fail to meet the filing deadline, a judge will nearly always dismiss your lawsuit. Partner with a Shamieh Law Dallas premises liability lawyer quickly so we can start collecting evidence.
Contact a Dallas Premises Liability Lawyer at Shamieh Law
Our Dallas premises liability lawyers are here to support you and your family from your free case evaluation through the conclusion of your case. We have a strong track record of success, a commitment to our community, and an unwavering dedication to our clients.
Call us today at (214) 389-7333 for a free, no-obligation case review. Everyone deserves quality representation, so we handle our personal injury cases on a contingency basis. We use our resources to make your case, and we don’t get paid unless you collect damages.
Dallas Premises Liability Frequently Asked Questions
People often have questions following an injury on someone else’s property. These are some of the more common ones we hear from our clients.
If your loved one dies in a premises liability accident, you can file a wrongful death lawsuit. Our Shamieh Law Dallas wrongful death attorneys can help you make your case for compensation, including funeral costs, loss of consortium, and other damages.
Premises liability insurance covers property owners in case someone is injured on their property. Your Shamieh Law attorney will make a case for the maximum damages available under the policy.
Never meet with an insurance company without your lawyer present. They may try to get you to accept responsibility for your injuries or take a quick, lowball offer that doesn’t cover your damages. The decision to accept or reject a settlement is ultimately yours, but an experienced attorney can offer you their opinions based on years of experience with similar claims.
It is hard to put an exact number on the amount of damages you can collect, as it depends on the specific circumstances of your case. Your Shamieh Law attorney will help you properly document your related costs and strongly argue for additional damages for your pain and suffering.
