Across Texas, fall-related injuries among older adults have climbed, and with that increase has come a wave of legal claims seeking accountability for unsafe conditions. Property owners, care facilities, and businesses owe a duty to keep their premises reasonably safe, but that duty is often neglected. When a senior citizen suffers a serious fall, they have the right to seek justice and fair compensation. A dedicated personal injury attorney in Edinburg can help investigate the cause of the accident, identify liable parties, and pursue the compensation needed for medical care, rehabilitation, and long-term support.
Why Fall Injuries Among Seniors Are So Common
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls rank as the leading cause of injury for adults 65 and older, with roughly 1 in 4 seniors reporting a fall each year and an estimated nine million fall injuries occurring annually nationwide.
The CDC also reports that the age-adjusted fall death rate among older adults rose 21% between 2018 and 2024. Texas mirrors this trend: America’s Health Rankings found that 28.1% of Texans aged 65 and older reported falling within the previous 12 months in 2023.
Falls are common among elderly people due to the changes that the body experiences with age. Balance weakens, muscles lose strength, vision dims, and reaction time slows. Chronic conditions like arthritis, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease add to the risk. When those internal factors meet outside hazards like wet floors or poor lighting, a fall becomes far more likely.
Common Locations Where Elderly Falls Occur
Falls can happen almost anywhere, but certain settings pose a greater threat to older adults:
- Nursing homes and assisted living facilities
- Hospitals and rehabilitation centers
- Grocery stores, pharmacies, and retail shops
- Restaurants, especially around entryways, restrooms, and uneven flooring
- Parking lots, sidewalks, and curbs with cracks, potholes, or poor lighting
- Private residences during in-home care visits or social gatherings
Proving Liability After a Senior Citizen Falls in Texas
If you or a loved one was hurt in a fall caused by someone else’s negligence, you have the right to file a premises liability claim against the person or entity in charge of maintaining the property where the fall occurred. Liable parties may include nursing home operators, assisted living facilities, hospitals, retail store owners, restaurant managers, commercial landlords, property management companies, or municipal entities responsible for public sidewalks and walkways.
To recover compensation, you will generally need to prove the following facts:
- The defendant owed your loved one a legal duty to maintain safe premises or provide adequate supervision.
- The defendant failed to uphold that duty by ignoring, creating, or overlooking a hazardous condition.
- That breach directly caused the fall and the resulting injuries.
- Your loved one suffered losses, such as medical expenses, physical injuries, or emotional trauma.
Evidence such as incident reports, surveillance footage, witness statements, maintenance records, and medical documentation all help establish that negligence caused the fall. In nursing home cases, staffing logs, care plans, and prior complaints often reveal patterns of neglect that strengthen your claim. An attorney can help you gather what’s needed to hold the responsible party accountable.
Contact a Texas Personal Injury Lawyer for a Free Case Review
When a fall happens, an attorney can guide you on the path to recovery, advocating for the compensation you need to move forward. Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless your case results in a recovery. Contact De La Garza Law for a free, no-obligation case review and find out what your claim may be worth.
