If you or a loved one were injured in a fall accident on a staircase, you need to know your legal options. You might be able to seek compensation for your injuries and losses.
Houston defective stairway attorneys can help you explore your legal rights. If the stairs were not built or maintained properly or were unsafe for some other reason, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the property owner.
Contact Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers for help with your claim at(713) 500-5000. We’ve recovered millions for injury victims and can help you understand the value of your case. Our Houston defective stairway lawyers offer free consultations.
How a Houston Premises Liability Lawyer Can Help After an Accident in Houston
After getting hurt, the last thing you should have to do is engage in a legal battle with the owner or insurer of the property. When our Houston premises liability lawyers handle your claim, you can focus your attention and energy on getting better.
At Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers, we have over 45 years of collective experience helping personal injury victims get the justice they deserve. Our award-winning legal team understands the challenges of slip and fall cases and can take care of the heavy lifting of your claim.
When you hire us, we will:
- Handle all administrative tasks involved in your case
- Investigate your accident to gather evidence and identify liable parties
- Calculate the value of your claim
- Work with experts to strengthen your case when appropriate
- Negotiate with insurers for fair compensation
- Take your case to trial to preserve your rights
Contact our Houston personal injury lawyers today for your free consultation. Let’s get started on your claim as soon as possible.
For a legal consultation call (713) 500-5000
How Common Are Fall Accidents?
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), falls cause more deaths among Americans aged 65 and older than any other type of accident. Also, about 3 million Americans end up in the emergency room every year because of fall-related injuries.
Houston Defective Stairway Accident Lawyer Near Me (713) 500-5000
What is a Defective Stairway Case?
Slip and fall claims are a type of premises liability case. You cannot file a defective stairway action if you got hurt on property that you own. You could, however, be able to take action against your landlord or HOA if you got hurt on a defective staircase.
If you are on someone else’s property like a grocery store or restaurant, premises liability law would apply. Defective stairways can also cause injuries on construction sites.
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How a Stairway Can Be Defective and Cause Injuries
Stairways can be inherently dangerous because of the change in height and multiple surfaces involved. If the stairway was not constructed and maintained properly, people using the stairway could get hurt.
Here are some of the common defects that lead to stairway injuries:
- Loose railings or the lack of railings
- Items on or near the stairs
- Electrical or other cords or cables on or near the staircase
- Worn treads that are slick
- Uneven treads
- Unstable surfaces, like rotted boards
- A loose or torn stair runner creates a trip hazard
- A trip hazard at the top of the stairs
- A door opens onto the stairs without warning
- Insufficient lighting on or near the stairs
- Outdoor stairs containing snow, ice, rain puddles, leaves, slick spills, dripping gutters, or a dripping overhang
Often, defective exterior stairs are at an entrance to a building or in a parking lot. We have talked about the injury and death statistics for fall accidents in the United States. Numbers do not tell the entire story.
People who survive fall accident injuries often experience:
- Loss of mobility
- Fear of falling again, which leads to inactivity and a physical deterioration
- Social isolation from that decreased activity, which can cause emotional, psychological, and intellectual decline
These consequences are particularly relevant to older people, who tend to experience a high number of fall accidents.
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What Damages Can I Recover for a Defective Stairwell Accident?
If the property owners are liable for your defective staircase accident, they could be responsible for your economic and non-economic losses.
These losses include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Future lost wages and decreased earning capacity
- Long-term impairment and disability
- Pain and suffering
- Intangible losses like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), disfigurement from scars, and loss of enjoyment of life
Depending on the facts of your situation, you might have additional recoverable damages. A lawyer will help you explore the full value of your claim during a free consultation.
What if I Think I Might Have Been Partially to Blame?
Sometimes an injured person can be partly at fault in an accident. Claims adjusters at insurance companies might tell you that they cannot recover any money damages if they contributed to the accident. However, that is not true in Texas.
Our state’s proportionate fault statute says that you can recover money damages as long as you weren’t mostly at fault (51%) for your accident. This law will reduce the amount of your settlement proceeds or jury award by the amount of your fault. For example, if your settlement value was $100,000 and you were 25% at fault, your negligence will reduce the settlement amount to $75,000.
Houston’s Building Code on Stairs
The City of Houston’s Minimum Property Standards for Rehabilitation, Reconstruction & New Construction lays out the code requirements for all interior and exterior stairs as follows:
- Every stairway or step that has three or more risers must have at least one handrail.
- If the stairway or step is five feet or wider, there must be a handrail on each side.
- Railings must be continuous from the top riser of the stairway to the bottom riser.
- Basement stairs must have a light illuminating the staircase.
- There must be a light switch at the top of the stairs for basements with no habitable rooms. If there are habitable rooms in the basement, there must be at least one light fixture illuminating the stairs that has a remote wall switch at the top and bottom of the staircase.
- All newly constructed interior and exterior stairways must comply with the Houston code requirements for riser height, tread depth, and other specifications.
If the interior or exterior stairway had one of these or another type of defect, we might be able to hold the property owners responsible for your losses.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Personal Injury Attorneys in Houston, TX
At Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers we have a proven track record of success in helping injury victims like you recover compensation. We are happy to offer an initial consultation at no cost.
Contact us today to get started. There is no obligation.
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