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A late-night stop at a Richardson Waffle House ended with a high school senior fighting for his future. The shooting, which happened in the restaurant’s parking lot, left an 18-year-old student paralyzed from the waist down. Cases like this raise difficult questions about accountability, and families deserve clear answers about their legal options.
What Happened on Spring Valley Road
According to FOX 4 News, Richardson Police responded to a shooting at 120 W. Spring Valley Road around 12:40 a.m. on March 19 after witnesses reported a large fight in the Waffle House parking lot followed by gunfire.
The victim was identified as Seth Jackson, a Richardson High School student. His father says Seth remains in the ICU with a ruptured lung, fractured ribs, and a shattered spinal cord, and that he is permanently paralyzed from the waist down. By his family’s account, Seth was not the aggressor. He stepped in when he saw a friend being attacked and was struck by gunfire before he ever reached the fight.
Police have not identified the shooter. The investigation is ongoing.
Who Can Be Held Responsible After a Parking Lot Shooting
Criminal charges punish the person who pulled the trigger. They do not pay for a lifetime of medical care. That is where civil law comes in, and it often reaches beyond the shooter.
Under Texas premises liability law, businesses have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect customers from foreseeable criminal acts on their property. Courts weigh several factors when deciding whether violence was foreseeable, including:
- Prior crimes at or near the property, especially violent ones
- The nature of the business and its hours of operation
- Whether the property had adequate lighting, security staff, or cameras
- How quickly employees responded once trouble began
Late-night restaurants in high-traffic areas frequently face scrutiny on these points. A fight involving multiple people did not erupt in an instant. If warning signs existed and nothing was done, the property owner may share legal responsibility for the harm that followed.
Families researching a catastrophic injury lawyer in Richardson, TX should know these claims are fact-intensive. Security records, 911 logs, prior police calls to the address, and witness accounts all matter, and that evidence can disappear quickly.
The Lifelong Cost of a Spinal Cord Injury
Paralysis changes everything at once. Housing, transportation, employment, and daily routines all have to be rebuilt. The National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center estimates that first-year expenses for paraplegia exceed $650,000, with substantial costs recurring every year after. Its published data is available through the University of Alabama at Birmingham research center.
A civil claim can account for those realities. Recoverable damages in Texas may include past and future medical care, home modifications, lost earning capacity, and physical pain and mental anguish.
Time limits apply. Texas generally gives injury victims two years to file suit under Section 16.003 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code, though shorter deadlines can apply when a governmental entity is involved. Waiting rarely helps.
Talking With a Lawyer After a Violent Injury
Our team at Kelso Law has represented Texas injury victims since 2012, including clients whose lives were altered permanently in a matter of seconds. We investigate the property’s security history, preserve video and physical evidence, and pursue every responsible party, not just the one facing criminal charges.
If your family is dealing with the aftermath of a shooting or another act of violence on someone else’s property, a conversation with a Richardson, TX catastrophic injury lawyer can help you understand whether a claim exists and what steps to take now. Reach out to our office to discuss your situation.
