Slip-and-falls can occur in any space open to the public. People rushing through a shop to pick up a few groceries on their way home could end up falling and sustaining noteworthy injuries.
Depending on the age of the person involved and other factors, a slip-and-fall can produce major injuries. People can break bones or sustain brain injuries in a slip-and-fall situation. They could also incur soft tissue injuries. They may have medical expenses, lost wages and property damage losses to consider.
In theory, slip-and-fall incidents may fall under the umbrella of premises liability. When does a business have responsibility for the costs generated by a slip-and-fall?
Negligence can lead to liability
Premises liability refers to the general responsibility that property owners and businesses have when people get hurt at a property. For an injured party to file a successful premises liability insurance claim or lawsuit, they generally need proof of injury or losses.
They also need to demonstrate that the business caused their losses through negligence. Negligence could involve a failure to clean up a spill or repair leaking refrigeration devices. Understaffing is another form of negligence.
The failure to maintain safe facilities can leave a company vulnerable to litigation and insurance claims. If reasonable people could recognize the risks of a situation that caused a slip-and-fall, then the business may have been negligent and might be responsible for the losses related to the incident.
Reviewing what caused the slip-and-fall and the consequences it generated can help people evaluate whether a premises liability claim is a possibility. Those injured in a slip-and-fall sometimes have the right to seek compensation from the business where they got hurt.
