Fort Worth Slip and Fall Lawyer

If you slipped and fell on someone else’s property in Fort Worth, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Property owners in Texas have a legal duty to keep their premises safe. When they fail, and you get hurt, they can be held responsible.

The medical bills add up fast after a fall. You might be missing work. The pain might be constant. Meanwhile, the property owner’s insurance company is already building a case against you. At Varghese Summersett, our Fort Worth slip and fall lawyers understand what you’re going through, and we know how to fight back.

Questions You Might Have After a Slip and Fall

After a fall, your mind races. Can I sue? Was this really their fault? Will I have to go to court? These are questions we answer every day for injured clients in Fort Worth and across Tarrant County.

The short answer: if a property owner’s negligence caused your fall, you have a right to pursue compensation. Texas law protects people who are injured because someone else failed to maintain safe conditions. But proving negligence isn’t always simple, and insurance companies will do everything they can to deny or minimize your claim.

Talk to a Fort Worth injury lawyer today to understand your options. The consultation is free.

What Is Premises Liability in Texas?

Slip and fall cases fall under an area of law called premises liability. Under Texas law, property owners owe a duty of care to people who enter their property. The level of duty depends on why you were there.

If you were an invitee (a customer, client, or someone invited onto the property for business purposes), the property owner owes you the highest duty of care. They must inspect the property for hazards and either fix them or warn you about them. Most slip and fall cases in Fort Worth involve invitees: shoppers at grocery stores, diners at restaurants, patients at medical offices, or guests at hotels.

If you were a licensee (a social guest), the property owner must warn you about known dangers they haven’t fixed. If you were a trespasser, the owner generally owes you no duty, though there are exceptions for children and cases involving intentional harm.

Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents in Fort Worth

Slip and fall accidents happen for many reasons. Some of the most common causes we see in Fort Worth include wet or slippery floors without warning signs, uneven sidewalks or parking lots, poor lighting in stairwells or parking garages, torn or bunched carpeting, broken handrails, cluttered walkways, and icy conditions that aren’t addressed.

Falls can happen anywhere: grocery stores, shopping malls, restaurants, apartment complexes, office buildings, hospitals, and government properties. Fort Worth’s mix of older buildings and rapid new construction creates conditions where hazards can easily develop and go unaddressed.

Our Fort Worth accident attorneys have handled slip and fall cases against national retailers, local businesses, apartment complexes, and municipalities. We know how to investigate these cases and build the evidence needed to prove fault.

Types of Compensation Available

If you’ve been hurt in a slip and fall, Texas law allows you to recover compensation for both economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages cover your actual financial losses. This includes past and future medical bills, lost wages if you missed work, reduced earning capacity if your injury affects your ability to work, and out-of-pocket expenses related to your injury.

Non-economic damages compensate you for things that don’t have a specific dollar amount but still affect your life. This includes physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. Texas does not cap non-economic damages in most personal injury cases, though there are limits in medical malpractice claims.

In rare cases involving egregious conduct, you may also be entitled to exemplary (punitive) damages. These are designed to punish the defendant and deter similar behavior in the future.

Want to know what your case might be worth? Schedule a free consultation with our team.

How Fault Works in Texas Slip and Fall Cases

Texas follows a modified comparative negligence rule. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 33.001, you can recover compensation as long as you’re not more than 50% at fault for your own injury. If you’re found to be 51% or more responsible, you recover nothing.

If you share some fault, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of responsibility. For example, if your damages total $100,000 but you’re found to be 20% at fault (maybe you were looking at your phone when you fell), your recovery would be reduced to $80,000.

Insurance companies love to blame the victim in slip and fall cases. They’ll argue you should have seen the hazard, that you were wearing inappropriate shoes, or that you weren’t paying attention. Having an experienced attorney on your side is essential to combat these tactics.

What Your Slip and Fall Case May Be Worth

Every slip and fall case is different. The value of your case depends on several factors.

The severity of your injuries matters most. A broken hip that requires surgery and months of rehabilitation is worth more than a sprained ankle that heals in a few weeks. Permanent injuries or disabilities significantly increase case value.

Your medical expenses and documented treatment play a major role. Insurance companies look at your medical records to evaluate your claim. Following your doctor’s orders and completing recommended treatment helps establish the full extent of your injuries.

Lost income and impact on your ability to work also factor in. If you missed significant time from work or can no longer perform your job, those losses are compensable.

The strength of the evidence against the property owner matters too. Surveillance footage, incident reports, witness statements, and photographs can all help prove your case. So can evidence of prior complaints about the same hazard.

At Varghese Summersett, we’ve helped injury victims across Texas recover millions in compensation. Our firm has a track record of over 1,600 case dismissals and 800 charge reductions in our criminal practice, and we bring that same aggressive, detail-oriented approach to every personal injury case we handle. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, but our commitment to fighting for our clients never wavers.

Get a free case evaluation to learn what your slip and fall case might be worth.

The Claims Process: What to Expect After a Slip and Fall

The timeline for a slip and fall case varies depending on the complexity of your injuries and whether the case settles or goes to trial.

After you hire an attorney, we investigate your case. This means gathering evidence, obtaining surveillance footage (before it’s deleted), identifying witnesses, and documenting the scene. We also collect your medical records and bills and work with experts if needed to establish the full scope of your injuries and future care needs.

Once your treatment stabilizes, we calculate your damages and send a demand to the property owner’s insurance company. The insurer will investigate and respond, often with a counteroffer that’s far below what your case is worth.

Most slip and fall cases settle through negotiation. We push hard to get you fair compensation without the delays and uncertainties of trial. But if the insurance company refuses to offer a reasonable settlement, we’re prepared to take your case to court.

Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003, you generally have two years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing this statute of limitations means losing your right to sue forever. Don’t wait to get legal advice.

Why Insurance Companies Fight Slip and Fall Claims

Insurance companies are not on your side. Their goal is to pay as little as possible, or nothing at all. In slip and fall cases, they have standard playbook moves.

They question whether a hazard really existed. They argue you should have seen it. They claim your injuries aren’t as serious as you say, or that they were caused by something else. They comb through your social media looking for posts they can use against you. They delay, hoping you’ll get frustrated and accept a lowball offer.

Our Fort Worth slip and fall lawyers know these tactics because we’ve seen them hundreds of times. We build cases that anticipate the insurance company’s defenses and counter them with solid evidence. We don’t let adjusters push our clients around.

What to Do After a Slip and Fall in Fort Worth

The steps you take immediately after a fall can make or break your case. If you’re able, report the incident to the property owner or manager and ask for a copy of the incident report. Take photos of the hazard that caused your fall, the surrounding area, and your visible injuries. Get contact information from any witnesses.

Seek medical attention right away, even if you think your injuries are minor. Some serious injuries, like traumatic brain injuries or internal bleeding, don’t show symptoms immediately. A medical record linking your injuries to the fall is essential evidence.

Don’t give a recorded statement to the property owner’s insurance company without talking to an attorney first. What you say can be used against you later. And don’t post about the accident on social media.

Most importantly, contact a slip and fall lawyer as soon as possible. Evidence disappears. Surveillance footage gets recorded over. Witnesses forget what they saw. The sooner we can start investigating, the stronger your case will be.

What to Expect From Varghese Summersett

When you hire Varghese Summersett, you get a team of over 70 legal professionals working on your case. We have offices in Fort Worth, Dallas, Houston, and Southlake, giving us the resources to take on cases across Texas.

We handle slip and fall cases on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing upfront and nothing out of pocket. We only get paid if we win your case. This levels the playing field against insurance companies with unlimited resources.

From the moment you contact us, we treat you like family. We return calls. We explain what’s happening with your case. We fight for every dollar you deserve. Our track record speaks for itself, but more than that, we care about getting you back on your feet.

You didn’t ask to get hurt. Let us help you get the compensation you need to move forward.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fort Worth Slip and Fall Cases

How long do I have to file a slip and fall lawsuit in Texas?

Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003, you generally have two years from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit. If you miss this deadline, you lose your right to sue. There are limited exceptions, but don’t rely on them. Contact an attorney as soon as possible after your fall.

What if I was partly at fault for my slip and fall?

Texas uses a modified comparative negligence system. You can still recover compensation as long as you’re not more than 50% at fault. If you’re found partially responsible, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. An experienced attorney can help minimize any fault attributed to you.

How much is my slip and fall case worth?

Case value depends on the severity of your injuries, your medical expenses, lost wages, the impact on your quality of life, and the strength of the evidence against the property owner. We offer free consultations to evaluate your case and give you an honest assessment of its potential value.

Do I have to go to court for a slip and fall case?

Most slip and fall cases settle out of court through negotiation with the insurance company. However, if the insurer refuses to offer fair compensation, we’re fully prepared to take your case to trial. Our attorneys are experienced litigators who aren’t afraid of the courtroom.

What does it cost to hire a Fort Worth slip and fall lawyer?

We handle slip and fall cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing unless we win your case. This means everyone has access to quality legal representation, regardless of their financial situation.

Get the Compensation You Deserve

A slip and fall can change your life in an instant. Broken bones, head injuries, back injuries, and chronic pain can keep you from working, caring for your family, or enjoying the activities you love. You shouldn’t have to bear that burden alone.

If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall in Fort Worth or anywhere in Tarrant County, the injury lawyers at Varghese Summersett are ready to fight for you. We offer free, no-obligation consultations to review your case and explain your options.

Call (817) 203-2220 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation today.