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Category Archives: Landowner Liability
Will Texas Courts Enforce Liability Waivers Signed on Behalf of Minor Children?
For landowners who allow minor children to come onto their property and partake in activities like hunting, swimming, fishing, or riding ATVs, there is an interesting question that remains unanswered by the Texas Supreme Court: Are liability waivers signed by a parent on behalf of a minor child enforceable in Texas? The Texas Supreme Court has never directly addressed this issue. There are however, a handful of lower court cases indicating these waivers may not be enforceable. Background Landowners who allow minor children to come onto their property… Read More →
Is Owner Liable for Injury Caused by Lamby the Guard Sheep?
Is the owner of a “guard sheep” named Lamby liable for injuries to a person allegedly headbutted by the sheep? Let’s take a look at Gonzalez v. Ahrens, a recent case from the Houston (14th) Court of Appeals. Background Mr. Ahrens owns a farm near Yoakum, TX and has a number of species of livestock. He kept one sheep that he raised as a bottle lamb, named Lamby as his pet and “guard sheep” due to prior break ins. Lamby slept in the house and was friendly, but… Read More →
March 8, 2019 Weekly Round Up
Hello and happy Friday! We’re back with another weekly round up of the top agricultural law stories of the past two weeks. * North Carolina nuisance ruling appealed. Plaintiffs in the first North Carolina hog farm nuisance lawsuit have filed an appeal with the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. A number of agricultural groups, including the American and North Carolina Farm Bureau have filed an amicus brief on behalf of the plaintiffs arguing that the North Carolina Right to Farm law should have applied as… Read More →
Texas Case Offers Good Analysis of Enforceability of Liability Release
One way that Texas landowners can protect themselves from liability is to ensure that guests sign liability waivers before engaging in certain activities. For example, oftentimes hunters that plan to hunt on the property of another are asked to sign a liability waiver (also called a release of liability). A recent Texas case, Quiroz v. Jumpstreet8, Inc., the court addressed whether a liability waiver was valid when a plaintiff was injured at a trampoline park. The court addressed several issues, including the question of whether a release can… Read More →
Questions from Tiffany’s Desk: Where Can I Get Those Agritourism Act Signs?
Question: Where can I get those Agritourism Act signs? Answer: Since the Texas Agritourism Act was passed by the Legislature back in 2015, I’ve been traveling the state talking to landowners about the limited liability protections this statute offers to them. [Click here for more background on this statute.] One way to receive this limited liability is for a landowner to hang up a specific Texas Agritourism Act sign on his or her property. The sign must be hung at a place clearly visible at or near where the… Read More →
Questions from Tiffany’s Desk: What Documentation Should I Have for Hunters on My Property?
Question: I’m leasing out my land to hunters this year. What type of documentation should I obtain from them? Answer: This is a common question asked by Texas landowners. They want to allow their friends, family, or the public to enter their property for activities like hunting, fishing, or swimming, but also want to protect themselves against liability. I recommend three documents be signed by and collected from each person entering the property for a recreational use, such as hunting. Hunting Lease. All landowners should require a hunting… Read More →
How Can Landowners Protect Themselves from Liability?
A common concern for landowners across the country is how to ensure they are protected from liability if someone is injured on their property. In fact, in one morning last week, I got three emails from landowners asking what they could do now to be in a position to best defend themselves in the event an injury does occur on their land. Importantly, there is no silver-bullet that will ensure a landowner will not ever be liable for anything. Additionally, there is nothing a landowner can do to… Read More →
James v. Young: Are Landowners Liable for Horse Riding Injury to Child?
A recent case out of the Waco Court of Appeals, James v. Young, is the real-life version of many landowners’ nightmare. When a six-year-old child fell off of a horse the landowners allowed him to ride, his parents filed suit. Did the Farm Animal Liability Act apply to shield the landowners from liability? Background The James family and the Young family were friends. One weekend, the two families were spending time at the Young ranch. The mothers and two of the children rode horses while several of the men… Read More →
Texas Landowner Duty to Trespasser on Property
Spring has sprung and it is bluebonnet season here in the Lone Star State! Texans love our bluebonnets and many folks make yearly pilgrimages to take photographs with the official state flower. This can cause anxiety for some landowners who may be concerned about their potential liability for trespassers on their land. Under Texas law, the only duty that a landowner owes to a trespasser is not to intentionally injure that person or to act with “gross negligence.” For liability purposes, any person who enters the property without… Read More →
Prescribed Burning: Liability & Insurance Considerations
My friend and colleague, Dr. Morgan Russell, and I recently published a fact sheet looking at liability and insurance considerations when conducting a prescribed burn. With burning being a popular grassland management technique across Texas, landowners should take the time to understand the law regarding liability in the event a burn gets out of control and causes damage, to carefully review and comply with Texas’ limited liability statute for prescribed burning, and ensure they have adequate insurance coverage in case the worst does occur. This fact sheet walks landowners… Read More →