The laws regarding injuries on private property apply to commercial, as well as residential properties, because both are privately owned. Property that is public, rather than private, is owned by the government.
However, visitors to different types of private property are categorized differently and are owed different duties. For instance, friends invited to dinner at your home are licensees, while visitors invited onto private commercial property to benefit the owner are invitees. Uninvited visitors who the owner may not even know about are trespassers. If you were injured on private property as a result of the owner’s negligence, contact a Katy private property liability lawyer to discuss your case. Our premises liability attorneys routinely win compensation for our clients and are here to help.
Duty to Trespassers
Private property owners only owe one duty to trespassers: to not intentionally harm them. In addition, child trespassers warrant additional protection under the attractive nuisance doctrine, which requires owners to implement reasonable safety measures because children are likely to enter property when they are drawn to something they wish to explore, such as a backyard swimming pool.
City ordinances specify that residential swimming pools must be surrounded by a barrier prescribed by the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code. A city inspector must sign off on the barrier before the homeowner can fill the pool. If a private property owner causes an accident by failing to follow Katy city ordinances, they could be liable in a negligence lawsuit, which one of our attorneys could handle for you.
Who Are Invited Visitors According to Property Law?
When you invite friends to visit your home, they are social guests known as licensees. However, homeowners running businesses out of their houses can also invite people who purchase goods or services from them. These visitors are called invitees.
Property owners owe invitees the highest duty to safeguard the property. They must warn invitees of known dangers, promptly fix them, and regularly inspect the property for hidden hazards, addressing any that are found.
Owners only owe licensees a duty to notify them of any dangerous conditions the owner is aware of. This could be as simple as telling social visitors to watch their step on uneven floors. If you have questions about an injury you incurred on private property, our Katy lawyers have answers.
Negligence and Compensation
If you are invited onto private property as a licensee or invitee—or if your child trespasses—and injuries occur, the property owner could be held responsible. You could seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and emotional and psychological damage.
Negligence is established when the property owner has a duty to keep the property safe, fails to meet that duty, and causes injuries as a result. Examples of negligence include:
- Failing to post warning signs about an electric fence
- Failing to warn a social visitor that a front step is missing
- Failing to contain a dog known to be dangerous
- Failing to tack down loose carpeting that has already been tripped over
- Failing to fix a plumbing leak in a tenant’s apartment
A private property liability attorney in Katy could guide you through the personal injury claim process and advocate for a deserved amount of compensation.
Contact a Private Premises Liability Attorney in Katy for Help With Your Case
Private property is any land or building owned by a person or entity other than the government. Whether the property is a business or a home, owners owe you a duty to keep the property a safe place to visit as a social visitor, customer, or child.
If you are injured, owners may try to avoid compensating you for the losses they cause. A Katy private property liability lawyer at Schechter Shaffer & Harris understands how traumatic an injury can be, often affecting your entire family. We use our more than 60 years of experience to help you get you the compensation you deserve. Call now to schedule your confidential consultation.
