Slip & Fall Attorney in Houston

Requirements for a Texas Slip-and-Fall Claim

A slip-and-fall case is a form of premises liability, which concerns legal responsibility for unsafe property conditions. A claim generally requires evidence that the owner owed the injured person a duty of care, breached that duty through a dangerous condition, and caused an injury as a result.

The duty owed depends partly on the visitor’s legal status. Texas generally classifies people entering property as invitees, licensees, or trespassers.

Texas visitor classifications include:

• Invitees: Customers and others who enter for the owner’s benefit are generally owed a duty that includes inspecting for hazards, repairing unsafe conditions, and warning about known dangers.
• Licensees: Social guests and others entering with permission for their own purposes are generally entitled to warnings about dangers the owner knows about.
• Trespassers: People entering without permission generally receive more limited protection, including protection from willful or grossly negligent harm.

Comparative Fault & Filing Deadlines

Texas applies modified comparative fault, which accounts for each party’s share of responsibility. Any compensation may be reduced by the injured person’s percentage of fault. A person found more than 50% responsible is barred from recovering compensation under this rule.

Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003 generally provides a two-year statute of limitations for injury claims. The applicable deadline can differ under the discovery rule, when the injured person is a minor, or when a claim involves a government entity, so the specific facts require careful review.

Where Slip-and-Fall Accidents Happen in Houston

Falls can occur at private residences, grocery and retail stores, restaurants, hotels and motels, office buildings, apartment complexes, schools, daycare facilities, swimming pools, and entertainment venues. Houston humidity and frequent rainstorms can contribute to wet, slippery floors, particularly around store entrances and high-traffic retail areas.

The location alone doesn’t establish liability. Evidence must connect the hazardous condition, the duty owed to the visitor, and the resulting injury. We review accident details and gather available medical reports, photographs, and witness statements to evaluate those connections.

Information that can help document a fall includes:

• An incident report: Reporting the fall to the owner or manager creates a record while the condition and potential witnesses can still be identified.
• Photographs: Images of the hazard, surrounding area, footwear, visible injuries, and warning signs preserve details that may later change.
• Witness information: Names and contact details allow witnesses to verify what occurred and, when known, how long the hazard was present.
• Medical records: Treatment reports can document the nature of the injuries and connect care to the incident.