Is a business to blame for a recent slip-and-fall?

Business patrons usually visit a store or a professional’s office with a specific plan. They want to make a purchase or acquire certain services. They don’t intend to sustain a major injury during their visit. However, slip-and-fall incidents can easily occur at retail establishments, restaurants and other businesses.

Those intending to patronize a business may end up injured and unable to complete their errands. People who break bones or sustain brain injuries in a slip-and-fall may require medical care. They might miss out on weeks of work.

The people hurt in slip-and-fall incidents may want to hold a business accountable for their economic losses. When is it possible to seek financial compensation after a slip-and-fall at a business?

When negligence causes risky circumstances

Slip-and-fall incidents fall under the umbrella of premises liability. Premises liability is the term for the responsibility of businesses and property owners when people get hurt at their properties. There is an expectation imposed on property owners and businesses to keep their facilities reasonably safe.

Failing to appropriately maintain business facilities can cause a preventable slip-and-fall incident. Those hoping to pursue a premises liability insurance claim or a slip-and-fall lawsuit often need to prove that negligence played a role in their injuries. Establishing negligence requires proof that the business failed to do what was necessary for safety or engaged in behaviors that were likely to cause injury.

Generally speaking, other adults have to agree that the business was negligent for the injured person to have a strong claim for compensation. Leaving uncovered extension cords across aisles is negligent, as most people recognize that power cords can be a tangling or tripping hazard. Failing to keep stairs well-lit and floor surfaces dry are also readily acknowledged forms of negligent facility maintenance.

The decision to minimize staffing could also constitute negligence. If companies don’t have enough workers on hand to keep the facilities clean and tend to customers, they create scenarios in which workers have to ignore spills and other hazards.

Those contemplating a premises liability lawsuit after sustaining slip-and-fall injuries may need help evaluating the situation. Exploring whether negligence contributed to a slip-and-fall injury can help people determine the best path forward. Litigation and insurance negotiations can help in cases where businesses are negligent about operational practices or facility maintenance and harm results.