Houston Attorneys – Premises Liability
Premises liability can be thought of as a subset of personal injury law — but specifically involves injuries and/or deaths that take place on the property (premises) owned by an individual person or an entity such as a business or governmental agency.
The owners of private and commercial properties and other premises where the public is invited have a legal duty to maintain the premises according to accepted safety standards. When the owner is negligent in keeping the property safe, injuries may occur, and the injured party has the option to take legal action against the property owner.
The conditions on the premises that can lead to the owners’ liability (i.e., legal responsibility for the injury) include problems such as an unsafe building, sidewalk, stairs, balcony, etc.; a bridge that collapses; inadequate security on the property; an animal that attacks; and a variety of other scenarios.
The most common examples of premises liability cases are:
- A slip and fall
- Being hit by a falling object
- Dog bite
- Fire
- Sexual assault, made possible by inadequate security