Getting hurt on someone else’s property can leave you with painful injuries and a great deal of confusion. It’s also natural that confusion turns to anger and frustration when an injury could have been avoided.
When a Bossier City casino, store, apartment complex, or hotel fails to keep its property safe, the people who get injured there should not be left to cover the costs on their own. Our Bossier City premises liability lawyers can help you understand your rights and fight for the compensation you deserve.
At Dudley DeBosier, we serve injured Louisianans throughout the Shreveport-Bossier area from our Shreveport office. If a property owner’s carelessness left you hurt, we can investigate what happened, deal with the insurance company, and pursue the money you need to move forward. Contact us for a free consultation to talk through your options.
What Is Premises Liability in Louisiana?
Premises liability is the area of law that holds property owners responsible when their carelessness causes someone to get hurt on their property. The basic idea is simple: if you own or control a property, you have a legal duty to keep it reasonably safe for the people who visit.
Louisiana law is clear on this. Under La. Civil Code article 2317.1, a property owner can be held responsible for your injury if a dangerous condition existed that they knew about or should have known about, and the owner didn’t fix it or warn you in a reasonable time. Article 2322 covers injuries caused by the ruin, defect, or poor condition of a building. Together, these laws set a clear standard property owners are held to across the state.
Louisiana law also recognizes that owners owe different levels of care depending on why you were on the property. The highest duty is owed to invitees, such as customers in a casino or shoppers in a store, because the owner benefits from having them there. Licensees, like a guest who enters for their own reasons, are owed a more limited duty. Owners generally owe the least to trespassers, though special rules can apply when children are involved.
Common Premises Liability Cases We Handle in Bossier City
Premises injuries can happen almost anywhere people gather, and Bossier City has plenty of those places. Many of the cases we see come from the businesses and properties locals and tourists visit every day:
- Casino and entertainment venues: The casinos along the Red River draw large crowds, and crowded gaming floors, restaurants, and parking garages can hide wet floors, poor lighting, and other hazards that lead to serious injuries.
- Retail and grocery stores: Spilled liquids, freshly mopped aisles without warning signs, and cluttered walkways are some of the most common causes of slip-and-fall injuries in stores.
- Apartment complexes and rental properties: Broken stairs, crumbling walkways, faulty railings, and neglected common areas can put tenants and their guests at risk.
- Hotels and motels: Slippery pool decks, poorly maintained stairwells, and unsafe parking areas can turn a stay into a trip to the emergency room.
- Inadequate security: When a property owner fails to provide reasonable security and someone is harmed in an assault or robbery, the owner may be liable. Learn more about how our team can help victims with negligent security claims.
No matter where you were injured, the question is usually the same: did the property owner do what a reasonable owner should have done to keep you safe? When the answer is no, you may have a claim.
Proving a Property Owner Was Negligent
Winning a premises liability claim in Louisiana means showing that the property owner was at fault. In most cases, you and your lawyer will need to prove five things:
- An unreasonable risk of harm existed. There was a dangerous condition on the property, like a wet floor with no warning sign or a broken step.
- The owner had control of the property. The owner or another responsible party had custody or control over the area where you were hurt.
- The owner knew or should have known there was a risk. The owner either knew about the hazard or, with reasonable care, should have discovered it. This is often the hardest part to prove.
- The owner failed to act. The owner did not fix the hazard or warn people about it within a reasonable time.
- The hazard caused your injury. The dangerous condition directly caused your injury and resulted in real losses, such as medical bills and lost wages.
Slip-and-fall injuries inside a store, casino, or restaurant come with an extra hurdle. Louisiana’s merchant liability law requires proof that the hazard existed long enough that the business should have found and fixed it. Proving that timing can be difficult, which is why evidence is so important.
Surveillance video, incident reports, photos of the hazard, and witness statements can make or break a claim. Much of this evidence disappears quickly, so it helps to talk with a lawyer who can act fast to preserve it.
Louisiana Comparative Fault and Filing Deadlines
Here’s something many people miss that can have a serious impact on a premises liability claim. Two parts of Louisiana law changed recently. You’ll find many pages out there still referencing the old rules. That’s why we want to make sure you know what’s actually current. It pays to know what’s changed, so read on for the most current laws and deadlines.
How Shared Fault Affects Your Claim
Property owners and their insurers often try to shift part of the blame onto the injured person. For injuries on or after January 1, 2026, Louisiana follows a modified comparative fault rule with a 51 percent bar. If you are found 51 percent or more at fault for your own injury, you won’t recover anything. However, if your share of fault is less than that, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. For injuries before that date, Louisiana’s old comparative fault rule applies.
Because so much can ride on these percentages, having someone in your corner to push back against unfair blame can make a real difference in what you recover.
How Long You Have to File
Louisiana also gives you a limited window to take legal action. For injuries on or after July 1, 2024, you generally have two years from the date you were hurt to file a lawsuit. Injuries before that date are usually governed by the older one-year deadline, and any claims against a government entity can involve shorter deadlines as well. These deadlines are strict and missing one can end your claim before it starts. It’s wise to talk with an experienced lawyer well before time runs out.
How a Bossier City Premises Liability Lawyer Can Help
After an injury on someone else’s property, you should be focused on healing, not fighting an insurance company. That is where we come in. When you work with Dudley DeBosier, we can:
- Investigate the property and the hazard: We can gather evidence, identify everyone who may be responsible, and document the dangerous condition that caused your injury.
- Preserve key evidence: We can act quickly to secure surveillance footage, incident reports, and witness accounts before they disappear.
- Document your damages: We can work with your medical providers to capture the full extent of your injuries, lost income, and other losses.
- Handle the insurance company: We can take over communication and negotiation, so you do not have to deal with adjusters trying to lowball your claim.
- Take your case to court if needed: If the insurer will not offer a fair settlement, we can be ready to fight for you at trial.
We believe everyone should have access to quality legal guidance. That’s why you do not pay anything up front. You pay us nothing—no fees, costs, or expenses—unless we get you money. If you have questions about a premises injury, you can reach out to our team any time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I File a Premises Liability Claim for an Injury at a Store or Small Business in Bossier City?
Start by reporting the injury to the business and getting medical care right away. Then gather as much evidence as you can, including photos, the names of any witnesses, and a copy of any incident report. Talking with a lawyer early helps you preserve evidence and meet Louisiana’s filing deadlines.
How Do I Prove a Property Owner Was Negligent?
You generally need to show that a dangerous condition existed; the owner knew or should have known about it, the owner failed to fix or warn about it, and that failure caused your injury. Evidence like surveillance video, photos, and witness statements is key. For injuries inside a store or casino, you also have to show the hazard existed long enough for the business to catch it.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for a Premises Liability Claim in Louisiana?
For injuries on or after July 1, 2024, you generally have two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. Injuries before that date are usually subject to a one-year deadline. These deadlines are strictly enforced, so it is best to act well before time runs out.
Can I Still Recover if I Was Partly at Fault for My Injury?
Often, yes. For injuries on or after January 1, 2026, Louisiana follows a modified comparative fault rule, so you can still recover as long as you are less than 51 percent at fault, with your compensation reduced by your share of the blame. If you are 51 percent or more at fault, you cannot recover anything at all.
What Should I Do After Being Injured at an Apartment Complex or Rental Property?
Report the hazard to the landlord or property manager in writing, take photos of what caused your injury, and seek medical attention. Keep copies of your lease, maintenance requests, and your medical records. These documents can help show that the property owner knew about the problem and failed to fix it.
Who Can Be Held Liable in a Premises Liability Case?
Depending on the situation, more than one party may share responsibility. Possible responsible parties can include property owners, landlords, business operators, property management companies, and maintenance contractors. A lawyer can help identify everyone who may owe you compensation.
Demand Dudley DeBosier After a Premises Injury in Bossier City
An injury on someone else’s property can be devastating, physically, emotionally, and financially. So, when the property owner’s insurance company turns around and blames you for what happened, it’s not just frustrating. It’s demoralizing. What we know for sure is that they will not be looking out for you, but we will. At Dudley DeBosier, we treat our clients like family and fight hard to help injured Louisianans in the Bossier City area resolve their claims and move forward.
If you were hurt because a property owner failed to keep their property safe, we are ready to listen. Contact our premises liability lawyers in Bossier City to schedule free consultation. You pay us nothing—no fees, costs, or expenses—unless we get you money. After an injury, Demand Dudley DeBosier.
