When you visit the mall to shop or enjoy a meal, catch a horse show at the equestrian center, or keep an appointment for medical care at the hospital, you are an invitee under property law. Invitees are visitors who will profit the commercial property owner. You are owed the highest duty of care and should feel confident that the owner has resolved or warned you about known dangers and routinely inspects the premises to discover and correct hidden hazards.
However, visitors are often injured by slipping on spilled food at a mall restaurant, being attacked in a parking lot, or tripping in a poorly lit area of a hospital walkway. If a negligent owner ignored your safety and caused your injury, you may have grounds for a lawsuit. At Schechter Shaffer & Harris, our premises liability attorneys are here to help. A Katy commercial property liability lawyer could explain your rights and assess the value of your personal injury case.
Trespassers on Commercial Property
Commercial property owners do not owe adult trespassers any duty to make the space safe for them. Trespassers are those who enter property without the owner’s knowledge or invitation. For example, most visitors to the local Walgreens are on the property to conduct business that benefits the owners, but an individual present solely to solicit money is trespassing. The owner’s only duty to adult trespassers is to refrain from intentionally harming them.
Child trespassers are owed a duty of care under the state’s attractive nuisance doctrine, which is based on the premise that children are too young to understand the dangers associated with artificially constructed enticements, such as public swimming pools and junk yards. Owners must therefore make reasonable efforts to protect children from danger, such as installing locked gates and fencing.
If you or a loved one has been injured on commercial property, a Katy attorney could study your case and guide your next step.
Defining Licensees
While commercial property owners owe invitees the highest duty of care, licensees, who are social visitors, are also owed a duty. Property owners must warn licensees of known dangers and repair these promptly. For example, they must cordon off a public park restroom with warning signs while repairing a leak. The Katy commercial premises liability lawyers at Schechter Shaffer & Harris fight for the highest amount of compensation when a property owner’s negligence causes your injuries.
What Counts as Property Negligence?
Visitors harmed on commercial property must prove that the landlord or owner had a duty to ensure their safety, failed to uphold that duty as a reasonable person would, and consequently caused an accident with injuries. Common commercial property negligence claims include:
- Tripping over debris in an apartment building’s dimly lit stairwell and falling
- Slipping on spilled olive oil left for hours on a grocery store floor
- Getting assaulted in a dark, unattended restaurant parking lot in an area known for crime
- Being injured on an amusement park ride as a child because no size or age limitations were posted
A Katy attorney who handles business property liability claims could calculate how much compensation you will likely require for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Contact a Commercial Premises Liability Attorney in Katy for Help With Your Case
While most commercial property owners and landlords ensure their premises are safe for visitors, some overlook their duties out of carelessness or recklessness if profit overrides safety. If you are injured in a commercial space, our attorneys know what to do next.
A Katy commercial property liability lawyer could gather and study the facts, hospital and police records, and witness statements to understand your claim. Our attorneys at Schechter Shaffer & Harris have been advocating for families like yours for more than 60 years. If a property owner’s negligence caused your injuries, call now to schedule your consultation.
