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Spills & Liquids
Water, food, grease, cleaning products, leaks, and other substances can create slippery walking surfaces.
Dallas–Fort Worth Slip-and-Fall Lawyer
A dangerous surface can
change your life in seconds.
Wet floors, uneven walkways, broken stairs, poor lighting, and other unsafe property conditions can cause falls resulting in serious and sometimes permanent injuries.
The Piri Law Firm represents people injured in slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall accidents throughout Dallas–Fort Worth.
HazardIdentify condition
NoticeInvestigate knowledge
VideoPreserve evidence
InjuryDocument damages
DFWNorth Texas representation
Direct Answer
What is a slip-and-fall claim in Texas?
A slip-and-fall claim generally involves an injury caused by a dangerous property condition. Whether a property owner, business, occupier, or another party may be responsible depends on the condition, control of the property, knowledge of the hazard, warnings, and the circumstances of the incident.
Common Fall Hazards
A dangerous condition does not have to look dramatic.
A small amount of liquid, a raised section of concrete, damaged flooring, or one defective step can be enough to cause a serious fall.
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Uneven Surfaces
Raised concrete, cracked sidewalks, damaged flooring, loose mats, and elevation changes can create tripping hazards.
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Unsafe Stairs
Broken steps, inconsistent dimensions, damaged surfaces, or inadequate handrails can contribute to serious falls.
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Poor Lighting
Inadequate illumination can make stairs, curbs, obstacles, and changes in elevation difficult to see.
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Debris & Obstacles
Merchandise, cords, equipment, construction materials, and other objects can obstruct normal walking paths.
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Maintenance Failures
Inspection, cleaning, repair, and maintenance practices may help determine how and why a dangerous condition remained.
Evidence Matters
The hazard may be repaired before anyone investigates it.
Spills can be cleaned, damaged pavement repaired, merchandise moved, and surveillance footage overwritten. Documenting the condition early can be important when reconstructing what caused a fall.
Photographs of the exact hazard
Surveillance and security footage
Witness and employee information
Incident, inspection and maintenance records
Building The Case
Four questions can shape the investigation.
What caused the fall?
The specific spill, surface defect, stair condition, obstacle, lighting problem, or other hazard should be identified and documented.
Who controlled the area?
Owners, tenants, businesses, management companies, contractors, and others may have different responsibilities concerning the property.
Was the hazard known?
Inspection records, prior complaints, employee observations, recurring conditions, and evidence concerning how long the hazard existed may matter.
Was there a warning?
The presence, absence, location, visibility, timing, and adequacy of warning signs or barriers can become important.
Where Falls Happen
Slip-and-fall accidents can happen almost anywhere.
The location matters because the investigation should identify who possessed, operated, maintained, or controlled the area where the injury occurred.
Retail Stores
Aisles, entrances, displays, spills, and merchandise can create customer hazards.
Restaurants
Food, liquids, grease, cleaning operations, and heavy foot traffic can create slippery conditions.
Apartments
Stairs, sidewalks, common areas, lighting, and damaged walking surfaces may contribute to falls.
Hotels
Bathrooms, pools, corridors, entrances, stairs, and common areas can present fall hazards.
Office Buildings
Lobbies, stairways, parking structures, elevators, and walkways may contain unsafe conditions.
Parking Areas
Potholes, wheel stops, broken pavement, poor lighting, and elevation changes can cause trips and falls.
Construction Areas
Temporary surfaces, materials, openings, debris, and changing pathways may create hazards.
Private Property
Residential and other private locations can also contain dangerous walking surfaces or stairs.
Notice & Timing
How long did the condition exist?
Evidence concerning inspections, cleaning schedules, surveillance footage, prior incidents, employee activity, maintenance records, complaints, and the condition itself may help determine whether the responsible party knew about the hazard or whether another basis for liability exists.
Related Personal Injury Services
A serious fall can cause injuries requiring extensive treatment.
Explore related personal injury resources from The Piri Law Firm.
Premises Liability
Unsafe property claims can involve falls and many other dangerous conditions.
Explore →Traumatic Brain Injury
A fall can cause significant neurological and cognitive injury.
Explore →Orthopedic Trauma
Falls frequently cause fractures and serious injuries to hips, knees, shoulders, wrists, and other joints.
Explore →Pelvic Fractures
Hard falls can cause serious pelvic injuries requiring surgery and rehabilitation.
Explore →Spinal Cord Injury
Severe falls can cause spinal trauma and potentially permanent impairment.
Explore →Chronic Pain & CRPS
Some fall injuries can develop into persistent pain and long-term functional limitations.
Explore →Catastrophic Injuries
Falls from stairs or elevation can cause permanent and life-changing injuries.
Explore →Wrongful Death
Families may have claims following fatal falls and other dangerous-property incidents.
Explore →Frequently Asked Questions
Slip-and-fall questions.
What should I do after a slip-and-fall accident?
Seek appropriate medical care, report the incident, photograph the condition if possible, obtain witness information, preserve relevant clothing or footwear, and keep records concerning the incident and treatment.
Is a store automatically responsible if I fall?
No. A fall on business property does not automatically establish liability. The analysis depends on the condition, control of the area, knowledge, warnings, and other circumstances.
Can I have a claim if there was a wet-floor sign?
The existence of a warning sign does not by itself resolve every case. Its location, visibility, timing, wording, relationship to the actual hazard, and the surrounding circumstances may need to be evaluated.
What evidence is important in a slip-and-fall case?
Potential evidence includes photographs, surveillance video, witness information, incident reports, inspection and cleaning records, maintenance records, prior complaints, medical documentation, and evidence concerning the condition itself.
How long do I have to file a slip-and-fall lawsuit in Texas?
Texas generally applies a two-year limitations period to personal injury claims, although exceptions can apply. Video and physical evidence may disappear much sooner.
Confidential Consultation
What Are You Facing?
Tell us where you fell, what caused the fall, whether the incident was reported, whether photographs or video exist, whether anyone witnessed what happened, and what injuries and medical treatment followed.
Call833-FOR-PIRI
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