Were you injured at an apartment complex in Dallas, Texas? Landlords and apartment owners have a duty to keep the premises reasonably safe. When they delay necessary repairs or security protocols, tenants and guests often suffer the consequences.
A Dallas apartment injury lawyer at Trujillo Gonzalez, P.C. can help you hold them accountable for the harm you’ve suffered. Call (972) 550-6818 to schedule a free consultation.
Why Choose Trujillo Gonzalez, P.C. After an Apartment Injury?
Many Dallas apartment communities are owned by out-of-state investment groups and managed by third-party companies. When a tenant is hurt, these companies often pass the claim to insurance providers who try to blame you or claim the hazard was normal wear and tear.
You need an experienced legal team that won’t accept that response, or less than the full value of your claim.
Dallas residents choose our team because:
- We focus only on personal injury. Injury and wrongful death cases are all we handle.
- We’re ready for trial. Our attorneys have tried more than 300 cases, so insurers know we follow through.
- We bring decades of experience. Our founding attorneys have decades of experience handling premises liability claims.
- Our results add up. We’ve recovered more than $275 million for injured Texans, including multiple seven-figure verdicts and settlements.
- Our peers recognize our work. Our honors include the Million Dollar Advocates Forum,
- We answer around the clock. You can call us 24/7 for a free consultation, and you pay no fee unless we win
Contact our Dallas law firm today to discuss your case with a Dallas premises liability attorney.
What Duties Do Texas Landlords Owe to Tenants and Guests?
For issues inside an individual unit, Texas Property Code § 92.052 requires landlords to fix conditions that affect a tenant’s health or safety after receiving proper written notice, provided the tenant is current on rent.
Texas law requires landlords to maintain common areas under their control, including:
- Stairways, breezeways, and elevators
- Parking lots and garages
- Swimming pools, gyms, and clubhouses
- Sidewalks, courtyards, and shared laundry rooms
Under Texas Property Code § 92.153, landlords must also install specific security devices, such as keyed deadbolts, door viewers, window latches, and pin locks on sliding doors. Broken or missing security features can be strong evidence in a legal claim.
Common Hazards in Dallas Apartment Complexes
Apartment injuries often result from poor maintenance. That means they are presentable. Typical hazards include:
- Broken or missing handrails on outdoor staircases
- Rotted balcony decking that poses a collapse risk
- Inadequate lighting in stairwells, walkways, and parking areas
- Uneven pavement and deep potholes in parking lots
- Unaddressed water leaks that cause slippery floors or mold
- Faulty wiring or gas leaks that create fire hazards
- Unsecured swimming pools that lack working gates
Broken gates and locks are also a problem because they may allow unauthorized entry or criminal activity to occur. These security failures create the potential for a negligent security claim against the landlord or apartment owner.
Proving Negligence in a Premises Liability Case
To establish landlord negligence under Texas law, an injured party must generally demonstrate that:
- The property owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition.
- The condition created an unreasonable risk of harm.
- The owner failed to take reasonable steps to repair the hazard or warn residents.
- This failure directly caused your injuries.
Proving the owner’s knowledge is often the key challenge. Building violations, past inspection reports, and written tenant complaints can help prove the landlord knew about a danger before someone was injured. Our team gathers these records to build your case.
Protecting the Value of an Apartment Injury Claim
After an apartment injury, you can generally recover money for your economic (financial) and non-economic (personal) damages.
The overall financial value of your claim depends on several factors, including:
- The nature and severity of your injuries
- Current and future medical costs
- Your lost earnings and reduced future earning capacity
- Your pain, emotional suffering, and physical impairment
- Available insurance coverage limits
- The strength of the evidence showing the owner had advance notice
Additionally, if you share fault for the incident, this could affect your claim’s worth. You can recover damages as long as you were 50% or less at fault, but your final award will be reduced by your percentage of responsibility.
The best way to understand the value of your claim is to contact an experienced Dallas personal injury lawyer who can estimate your damages.
Statute of Limitations for Texas Premises Liability Lawsuits
Per Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.003, injury victims typically have a strict two-year timeline to start their apartment injury litigation. For wrongful death claims, this clock begins on the date of the passing. If you miss these deadlines, you will lose the right to seek compensation.
Contact a Dallas Apartment Injury Attorney Today
You pay rent expecting a safe living environment. If property management neglected dangerous conditions, our firm is here to hold them accountable.
We can help by:
- Requesting maintenance logs, work orders, and tenant complaint records
- Sending preservation letters for camera footage and access-gate data
- Identifying the owner, management company, and any negligent contractors
- Documenting your medical treatment and financial losses
- Negotiating with the property’s insurance carrier
- Filing a lawsuit if the insurer won’t offer fair compensation
Call Trujillo Gonzalez, P.C. at (972) 550-6818 to speak with an experienced Dallas apartment injury lawyer today. Our firm handles premises liability cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay no upfront fees and none at all unless we secure a settlement or verdict for you.
