Houston Slip and Fall & Premises Liability Lawyer
A fall on a wet floor sounds simple. Legally it isn't — these cases turn on what the property owner knew about the hazard, and when they knew it.
The evidence clock is short. Store surveillance is frequently overwritten in 14 to 30 days. A written demand to preserve that footage needs to go out immediately, before it is gone.
Why these cases are harder than they look
Being injured on someone's property is not enough on its own. In Texas you generally must show the owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition and failed to fix it or warn you. That is the notice requirement, and it is where most claims are won or lost.
Proof of notice can come from surveillance footage, inspection and cleaning logs, employee statements, prior incident reports at the same location, or maintenance records showing a recurring problem.
Your legal status on the property matters
- Invitee — you were there for the owner's business benefit, like a customer in a store. Owners owe invitees the highest duty of care.
- Licensee — you were there with permission but not for the owner's benefit, like a social guest.
- Trespasser — the lowest duty is owed, with important exceptions, particularly involving children.
Common premises cases we handle
- Wet floors, spills, and freshly mopped areas without warning signs
- Broken stairs, missing handrails, and uneven walkways
- Parking-lot potholes and inadequate lighting
- Falling merchandise in retail stores and warehouses
- Apartment-complex hazards and negligent security
- Swimming-pool and construction-site injuries
What to do after a fall
- Report it before you leave and ask for a written incident report — then request a copy.
- Photograph the hazard immediately. It will be cleaned up within minutes, and after that it becomes your word against theirs.
- Photograph the whole scene — lighting, warning signs (or their absence), and your shoes.
- Get witness names, including employees.
- See a doctor the same day if you can.
- Don't give a recorded statement to the property's insurer or claims administrator.
A note on shared blame
Expect the property owner to argue you weren't watching where you were going. Under Texas proportionate responsibility, your recovery is reduced by your share of fault — and eliminated entirely if you're found more than 50% responsible. That argument is easier to defeat with photographs taken the same day.
Most Texas premises claims must be filed within two years; claims against a governmental property owner can require notice in months. Call (713) 998-0444.
