Slip-and-falls are a leading cause of injury in people’s homes and in their workplaces. They are also one of the most common reasons that people file premises liability claims against a business.
Stores and other businesses that open their facilities to the public profit when people come to visit. Of course, letting customers into a business generates numerous costs and obligations, not the least of which is having adequate staff on hand to tend to customers and maintain the facilities. In some cases, would-be customers at a store could end up severely injured because of a slip-and-fall incident that occurs due to spilled product, puddles by the front entrance or wrinkled rugs if businesses are either understaffed or employees are negligent in their duties for some other reason.
When a business is somehow negligent
Property owners and businesses have to protect themselves from premises liability. That is the legal and financial responsibility they may have for injuries that people suffer on their property. Most premises liability claims related to a slip-and-fall incident will depend on claims of negligence. Negligence is broadly described as doing something that was unsafe or failing to do something that reasonable people recognize as necessary for the safety of others.
Not putting down rugs near the entrance during a rainstorm could be one example of negligence. Failing to keep adequate staff on hand to clean up spills when they occur is also arguably negligence. So would be intentionally delaying maintenance and repairs that would have prevented the situation that led to someone’s fault.
Those who believe negligence played a role in their injury can use the reasonable person standard to begin evaluating their situation and estimating their likelihood of a successful claim. If a reasonable person would recognize that the business did something unsafe or failed to do something necessary for public safety, then there is likely a decent chance of a successful premises liability claim based on the company’s negligence.
Most of the time, companies have premises liability insurance either as supplemental coverage or rolled into their general business policy. That insurance or possibly the business’s resources can compensate those injured and in need of funds to pay for medical bills and cover their lost wages. Recognizing when a business may be liable for a slip-and-fall incident can inspire people to seek both legal guidance and appropriate compensation for their injuries.