Texas Gulf Coast Beachfront Property Liability | When Injured Victims Should Contact an Attorney

Texas is home to some of the best beaches in the country, whether you visit Galveston, Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, or South Padre Island. Visitors often rent a vacation home or condo to enjoy their tropical getaway. Vacation rentals offer space and privacy, but they can also pose hidden dangers that lead to accidents and injuries.

An accident can instantly transform a long-awaited vacation into a disaster. Let the premises liability attorneys at Carabin Shaw handle the complexities of your personal injury claim so you can focus on recovering from your injuries. Our English- and Spanish-speaking experts offer free case reviews 24/7 at 1-800-862-1260 or contact us online now.

The harsh coastal environment takes its toll on beachfront properties, leading to damage you might not encounter in other climates. Salt and wind can damage wood decks and railings and corrode grills and outdoor furniture. Appliances like air conditioners and pool heaters can malfunction, releasing dangerous carbon monoxide into the air.

Your beach rental might also include watercraft like kayaks or paddleboards, which can harbor additional dangers if they are not properly maintained. If you are injured, you could face debilitating injuries that require medical treatment, therapy, and extensive time off work. You need a personal injury lawyer to protect your rights and pursue compensation on your behalf.

Holding a party liable for your injuries requires proof of negligence. First, your attorney must show that a dangerous condition existed on the property and the property owner knew about the condition. Next, you must demonstrate that the owner failed to address the condition or warn guests about the hazard. Finally, you must link the condition directly to your accident and injuries.

Your Gulf Coast property liability lawyer must also prove that, as a guest of the property, you required the highest duty of care by the property owner. Texas premises liability law categorizes visitors in three ways:

• Invitees (paying guests and customers) require the highest duty of care
• Licensees (social guests by invitation) are owed a lesser duty of care
• Trespassers are usually not owed any duty of care

If you are renting the property for your vacation, you are considered an invitee. The party responsible for the property must regularly inspect the premises for hazards and promptly address them as they arise. If they fail to do so, their actions would constitute a breach in their duty that could make them liable for your injuries and related losses.

Your lawyer proves negligence by conducting a thorough investigation of your accident to identify the causes. They will gather critical evidence, including:

• Photos or video footage of the area
• Maintenance and repair logs
• Previous complaints by former guests
• Testimony from eyewitnesses, employees, or other guests

In most cases, your attorney will direct your personal injury claim to the owner or manager of the property, as the party responsible for the health and safety of guests. However, another party may also contribute to the accident, such as the company hired to inspect and maintain the property's appliances. Even the vacation rental platform may be liable if it continued to list the property despite knowledge of complaints about the premises' safety.

Under Texas’s proportionate responsibility rule, you can seek damages from all the parties that contributed to your accident. Damages are divided among the parties based on their proportion of fault for your injuries.

When your long-anticipated beach vacation ends in a painful accident, you may feel alone and helpless. The good news is that help is available. Our expert team at Carabin Shaw offers their services on a contingency-fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we win your case. Dozens of former clients have attested to our abilities and commitment in our law firm’s client reviews.

Don’t suffer alone. Call our team any time, day or night, at 1-800-862-1260, or contact us online to book your free case review now.

For more information:

• Cornell Law School
• Texas Statutes 75
• Texas Statutes 33