How Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers Helps With a Bedford Premises Liability Claim
We deal with the property owner and its insurance company so you can focus on healing. Owners rarely accept responsibility when someone is hurt on their property, and once an insurance company is involved, a fair result gets harder. Our Bedford personal injury attorneys have served the city since 1985.
When you hire us, we:
- Investigate how the injury happened and who controlled the property
- Locate evidence that proves the dangerous condition
- Defend you against claims that you caused your own injuries
- Calculate your case value and protect you from lowball settlement offers
- Bring in experts when they strengthen your case
- Negotiate with the insurance company for a fair settlement
- Take your case to trial if that is what a fair result requires
Learn what to expect from a free consultation.
What Is Premises Liability in Texas?
Premises liability is the area of Texas law that holds property owners responsible when unsafe conditions on their property injure visitors. Owners must keep their premises reasonably safe, and the scope of that duty depends on why you were there.
- Invitees visit for a business purpose, such as shopping at a grocery store, eating at a restaurant, staying at a hotel, or visiting a hospital, school, daycare center, office building, or post office. Owners must regularly inspect for hidden dangers, fix unsafe conditions once discovered, and warn about dangers that aren’t obvious. They are responsible for hazards they know about and hazards they reasonably should know about.
- Licensees visit for a non-business reason, like dinner at a friend’s home in Bedford. The owner must use ordinary care and warn about non-obvious risks but doesn’t have to inspect for hidden dangers.
- Trespassers enter without permission, and owners generally don’t owe them a duty of safety. A limited exception covers young children drawn onto a property by an attractive nuisance, such as a swimming pool.
Read more in What Is Premises Liability?
What Types of Premises Liability Claims Do We Handle in Bedford?
We handle every kind of property injury case in Bedford, from neighborhood stores to large commercial properties. Common claims include:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Dog bites
- Negligent security that allows assault, sexual assault, or other violent crime
- Falling objects
- Elevator and escalator accidents
- Broken sidewalks
- Swimming pool accidents
- Bed bugs
- Food poisoning and other poisonings
- Exposure to toxic materials
If you aren’t sure whether you have a claim, we can help you find out.
What Do I Have to Prove in a Bedford Premises Liability Case?
You must prove the owner was negligent, not just that you were hurt on the property. Owners aren’t automatically liable for every injury on their premises. You must establish:
- The owner’s legal duty of care to you
- A breach of that duty, meaning a dangerous condition existed that the owner failed to fix or warn about
- Causation: the condition directly caused your harm
- Damages: the injuries and other losses you suffered
Strong evidence makes the difference. It can include:
- Photos of the place where you were hurt
- Statements from employees and eyewitnesses
- The business’s maintenance and inspection records
- Video surveillance footage
- Incident and accident reports
Surveillance video and records can disappear quickly, so our attorneys move to preserve them early. See proving a dangerous condition for more.
What Is My Bedford Premises Liability Claim Worth?
The value of a premises liability claim depends mostly on how badly you were hurt and how strong the evidence is. Insurance companies and courts look at:
- The severity of your injuries and the cost of treatment
- Wages lost while you recover
- Whether the injury causes long-term or permanent disability
- How the injury affects your future earning capacity
- Future medical care and rehabilitation
- The impact on your quality of life
- Whether you share any fault
You may recover economic damages such as past and future medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning potential, physical therapy, nursing care, and property damage. Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, PTSD, anxiety, depression, disfigurement and scarring, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium. We work with respected professionals who can explain future costs and non-economic losses.
What Happens if the Property Owner Blames Me?
You can still recover if you were partly at fault, as long as your share is 50% or less. Texas follows modified comparative negligence: your award is reduced by your percentage of fault, and once your share reaches 51%, you recover nothing.
Owners often argue that a hazard was obvious or that you weren’t paying attention. We answer those arguments with evidence about what the owner knew and when.
What Injuries Do Premises Liability Cases Involve?
Property injuries range from sprains to life-changing harm. We represent Bedford clients with:
- Broken bones
- Head, neck, and facial injuries
- Concussions and traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord and back injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Nerve damage
- Organ and lung damage
- Burns, amputations, and paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
If you lost a family member, see our Bedford wrongful death lawyer page.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Premises Liability in Texas?
In Texas, you generally have two years from the injury to file a premises liability lawsuit. After that, you lose the right to compensation in court. Some exceptions apply, and claims involving government property can require notice within six months or less under the Texas Tort Claims Act. Talk to a lawyer quickly to confirm your deadline.
About Brad Parker
Bedford Premises Liability FAQs
What counts as a premises liability case in Bedford?
A premises liability case holds a property owner or occupier responsible for an injury caused by an unsafe condition on their property. In Bedford, these claims can arise at grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, apartment complexes, office buildings, schools, daycare centers, and government buildings. The owner is liable only when its own negligence caused the harm, so evidence of the hazard matters.
Does it matter why I was on the property?
Yes. Customers and other business visitors are invitees and are owed the highest duty, including regular inspection for hidden dangers. Social guests are licensees and must be warned about non-obvious risks. Trespassers have limited rights, but owners can be liable when an attractive nuisance, such as a swimming pool, draws a young child onto the property.
Can I sue a Bedford business if I was assaulted on its property?
Possibly. A negligent security claim may apply when a property owner failed to take reasonable safety steps, such as repairing broken locks, gates, or lighting, and that failure allowed an assault or other violent crime to happen. These claims depend heavily on the facts, so talk to a lawyer early.
What if the property owner says I caused my own injury?
Texas uses modified comparative negligence. If you were 50% or less at fault, you can still recover, but your award is reduced by your share. For example, if you were 25% at fault, you could recover 75% of your damages. Once your share reaches 51%, you recover nothing.
How long do I have to file a premises liability lawsuit in Texas?
You generally have two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit in Texas. If you miss that deadline, you lose your right to compensation in court. Claims involving government property can require written notice much sooner, so it is wise to talk to a lawyer quickly.
How much does a Bedford premises liability lawyer cost?
We handle premises liability cases on a contingency fee. You pay nothing upfront and don't owe attorney's fees unless we recover compensation for you. Our fee will never exceed your recovery, and we explain the exact terms in writing before we begin.
Visit Our Bedford Office
Parker Law Firm Injury Lawyers – Bedford Office
2317 Plaza Pkwy #100, Bedford, TX 76021
- Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Saturday – Sunday Closed