Houston Movie Theater Accident Lawyer

A visit to the movie theater is meant to be fun, enjoyable – and safe. When a trip to the movies ends in injury, a Houston movie theater accident lawyer can help you hold the movie theater financially responsible for your injuries and the costs associated with them.

If you’ve been the victim of negligent security at a movie theater, you’re not alone. The movie theater negligent security lawyers at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law know what it takes to help injured clients gain the compensation they deserve for movie theater injuries.

Call Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000 to discuss your movie theater injuries with an experienced Houston movie theater accident lawyer.

What are Some Common Types of Movie Theater Negligence?

Movie Theaters Have a Duty to Keep Their Guests Safe

Movie theaters have a responsibility to provide a reasonable level of safety to the customers who visit. When a movie theater fails to adequately ensure the safety of moviegoers, the theater can be held responsible for the costs associated with any movie theater accidents that occur.

Negligent security at a movie theater is considered to be a matter of premises liability. When an individual or a company owns a business like a movie theater, they have a legal obligation to ensure that the property is free of hazards and offers a reasonable level of security. The theater may be negligent as a result of a lack of guards, cameras, or other security measures, or broken doors, locks, or fences.

Some other most common examples of negligence at a movie theater include:

  • Insufficient lighting
  • Broken stairs or handrails
  • Damaged chairs or armrests
  • Spills or tripping hazards

The measures a movie theater is expected to take to ensure the safety of its guests can also depend on external factors, like the local crime rate or past safety and security incidents that have occurred in the theater.

Why Choose Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law?

Over $1 Billion Recovered for Clients in Texas

Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law has been serving clients in Houston and the surrounding areas for over 35 years. In more than three decades of fighting for justice on behalf of injured Texans, our firm has recovered over $1 billion for our clients.

Our track record and client testimonials show that the legal team at Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law knows how to hold negligent parties responsible for paying up for the damage they’ve caused.

Founding attorney Terry Bryant is a board-certified personal injury trial attorney and a former judge. He knows the Texas justice system from the inside out, and he uses that insider knowledge to craft winning cases for his clients. For over three decades, Terry Bryant has grown his team, handpicking fellow attorneys who have a proven track record of success in achieving great outcomes for their clients.

Today, Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law is a well-known name both in Houston and around the country. We give back to our community in a myriad of ways, including hosting community events like blood drives, clothing drives, and food drives, supporting local organizations, and offering two different scholarships for college and law school.

How a Lawyer Proves Movie Theater Negligence

Before you can gain compensation for movie theater injuries, your lawyer needs to prove that the movie theater somehow acted negligently. Proving negligence depends heavily on the type of injuries you sustained and how they happened. In any movie theater negligence case, your lawyer will need to show four main points:

  • The movie theater has a responsibility for your safety.
  • This responsibility was violated.
  • You were injured as a result of the movie theater’s violation.
  • You can provide proof of the damage you sustained.

Exactly how your lawyer will go about building a case for negligence depends on how you were injured.

If you were harmed during an act of violence, your lawyer might need to rely on evidence related to neighborhood crime rates and the security measures the theater had in place. On the other hand, if you were involved in a slip and fall accident, your lawyer’s argument might instead focus on how the theater’s maintenance and safety measures failed to protect the safety of moviegoers.

Most Frequent Movie Theater Accidents

Certain types of movie theater accidents tend to happen most frequently. Some of these are unsurprising — movie theaters typically offer low lighting and are an environment in which guests walk through the darkness carrying food and drinks, which can easily be spilled. Falls and slip and fall accidents are among the most common types of accidents that happen in movie theaters.

In recent years, increasing numbers of incidents in movie theaters have made news headlines for acts of violence committed during movie showings. Movie theaters can be held responsible for negligent security for incidents such as:

  • Shootings
  • Sexual assault
  • Physical assault.

Although an injury sustained through an act of violence might seem different than movie theater injuries caused by low lighting or a spilled soda, ultimately both situations are somewhat alike when it comes to gaining compensation for the injured victim.

A moviegoer has a reasonable expectation of safety when they attend the movies. When their movie-going experience ends in injury, the theater can be held responsible in many situations.

Common Movie Theater Injuries

Similar types of accidents lead to similar types of injuries. Slip and fall accidents can cause significant trauma to the brain or spinal cord, and fall-related accidents are one of the most common types of accidents to occur in a movie theater.

Some of the most common movie theater injuries include:

  • Brain injuries
  • Spinal injuries
  • Broken bones
  • Sprains
  • Bruises or lacerations
  • Gunshot wounds.

Specific illnesses, injuries, and other effects are inherently tied to the type of accident that occurred. Sexual assault in a movie theater poses a risk of sexually transmitted disease, unplanned pregnancy, and additional injuries and complications.

Any type of violent act that occurs in a movie theater brings the risk of both physical injury and emotional injury. Both gun violence and sexual violence come with a high risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can lead to additional difficulties and complications in many areas of a victim’s life.

Why You Need a Houston Movie Theater Accident Lawyer

An Experienced Lawyer Helps Maximize Compensation

Negligent security at a movie theater can lead to pervasive effects on a victim’s life. Movie theater injuries can cause issues with chronic pain, impact a victim’s ability to work, and lead to significant medical bills.

However, a movie theater is unlikely to come forward, acknowledge its role, and offer to make amends to the victims. If you’ve been injured in a Houston movie theater, you need a lawyer to build a case proving that the movie theater was negligent in caring for its guests and that compensation is owed to the injured party.

Personal injury law exists as a way to achieve fair compensation after the actions of a person or company cause injury to another. When such an injury happens because a property was unsafely maintained or lacked reasonable security measures, the branch of personal injury law involved is that of premises liability.

Contacting a personal injury lawyer isn’t enough to successfully gain compensation for movie theater accidents. You’ll need a personal injury attorney with experience in the area of premises liability who has a track record of success in gaining compensation for clients injured in situations that involve negligent security.

Compensation After Movie Theater Negligent Security

If you’re considering legal action over movie theater accidents and injuries, you’re likely wondering how much compensation you stand to gain.

A general rule is that the higher the costs or the more serious the injuries, the greater the possible compensation value. Once your attorney builds a case proving negligence, their job then becomes one of maximizing compensation and negotiating a settlement.

To determine a compensation value, your lawyer will add up all the costs associated with the accident, like ambulance bills, medical bills, and lost wages due to missed work. Compensation can also include payment for non-economic forms of damage, such as pain and suffering, diminished quality of life, and emotional distress.

Compensation for movie theater negligence is highly individualized. No two accidents have the same case value. However, when it comes to compensation for movie theater negligence, one fact nearly always holds true — you stand to gain far more when you have an experienced lawyer negotiating on your behalf.

Time Limits for Taking Legal Action Against a Movie Theater

Insurance companies are notorious for working hard to keep their payout small. In some cases, it becomes necessary to file a lawsuit against a movie theater’s insurance provider to gain fair compensation for an injured client.

Often, simply filing is enough to compel an insurance company to arrive at an agreeable resolution. A movie theater’s insurance company rarely wants to take on the expense and time commitment of a court battle.

Every state places a legal time limit on how long you have to take legal action over a personal injury case. In Texas, the general time limit is two years. (*Always speak directly to an attorney to find out the exact deadlines that apply to your potential claims.) Waiting to contact a lawyer puts you at risk of running out of time to file in court if it becomes necessary.

If you hope to gain compensation for movie theater negligence in Houston, you should call a lawyer today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common Client Questions About Movie Theater Negligent Security

Every movie theater accident is unique, but injured victims considering legal action often have the same initial questions. Here are some of the most common questions about taking action over movie theater negligence.

Do I have a case for movie theater negligent security?

Only a lawyer can definitively say whether you have a case. If you have proof of physical or financial damage related to a movie theater accident, it’s worth calling a lawyer to learn whether you have grounds for a claim.

What is the process for gaining compensation after an injury in a movie theater?

At your initial consultation, your lawyer will tell you whether you have grounds for a case. If you do, your lawyer will collect evidence, build a case for negligence, and identify a compensation goal based on the damage. Your lawyer will then negotiate a settlement with the insurance company. If the insurance company refuses to negotiate, your lawyer can take the case to court.

Who pays for injuries related to movie theater negligent security?

Movie theaters have insurance policies designed to compensate guests if an injury happens and the movie theater was at fault.

Will I need to go to court if I want to pursue compensation?

It’s unlikely that you’ll need to go to court to gain compensation after a movie theater injury. Court proceedings are expensive and time-consuming. It’s usually more financially advantageous for an insurance company to settle than to go through litigation all the way to trial.

How much compensation is possible after a movie theater accident?

It’s hard to identify an exact amount until a lawyer begins work on your case and does a thorough assessment of the damages. The greater the costs or injuries, the higher your case value.

At Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law, we understand that every case is unique. Call us now at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000 for a free consultation and to receive answers to more specific questions.

Don’t Wait to Call a Houston Movie Theater Accident Lawyer

Gaining compensation for negligent security at a movie theater is possible — but only if you take the right steps. Acting quickly and choosing an attorney with a track record of success are two essential elements of a successful case.

Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law knows how to make Texas personal injury law protect the financial interests of individuals who have been unfairly injured through negligence. If you’ve been injured in a Houston movie theater, you can’t know how much you stand to gain until you pick up the phone and speak with an experienced lawyer.

Give Terry Bryant Accident & Injury Law a call today at (713) 973-8888 to learn more about your rights and options after a serious movie theater injury in the Houston area.

Attorney Terry Bryant

Attorney Terry BryantTerry Bryant is Board Certified in personal injury trial law, which means his extensive knowledge of the law has been recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, setting him apart from many other injury attorneys. The 22 years he spent as a Municipal Judge, Spring Valley Village, TX also provides him keen insight into the Texas court system. That experience also helps shape his perspective on personal injury cases and how they might resolve. This unique insight benefits his clients. [ Attorney Bio ]