Having a party soon? You should know that Texas homeowners can be held liable for injuries to guests and others on their property. A homeowner can be held liable for a person’s injuries if the homeowner negligently fails to keep his or her property reasonably safe for others.
A recent accident illustrates the kind of circumstances that can lead to liability for property owners. A woman was electrocuted to death in Texas City, Texas when she touched a lamp while visiting with family. The deceased was apparently walking barefoot in the wet yard when she reached to turn on a lamp outside that was plugged into an extension cord. According to inspectors, the house where the accident occurred had undergone multiple additions and was not up to code.
The first thing that a plaintiff needs to establish in a case like this is that the homeowner had a duty to the injured or deceased person. Typically, ownership and control over the property where the accident occurred is enough to satisfy this requirement. The plaintiff will also need to show that the homeowner breached his or her duty to the injured person. Here, the fact that the home was not up to code in this case may serve as evidence that the homeowner breached his or her duty.
The plaintiff must also show that the injuries were caused by the homeowner’s breach of duty. In the electrocution case, if the code violations and lamp setup caused the woman’s death, this element would be satisfied. The final requirement is that the plaintiff was damaged by the homeowner’s breach.
If you have been injured or if a loved one has been killed by a property owner’s negligence, you may have a right to financial recovery for your loss. Evidence may be lost if you wait too long, so it’s essential that you contact an experienced Houston, Texas as soon as possible after the accident.
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