The concept of premises liability understandably confuses many people. The idea that simply owning or leasing property leads to liability may seem counterintuitive. However, anyone who owns or occupies real estate could create or ignore unsafe property conditions that put others at risk.
Premises liability is the legal term for the financial and practical responsibility that stems from injuries that occur on private property. When people slip and fall at a business, that could theoretically lead to a premises liability lawsuit.
When might a business be liable for visitor slip-and-fall injuries?
When the space is clearly unsafe
Premises liability often largely relies on claims of negligence. Other reasonable people have to recognize the oversights of the business or property owner. Failing to repair thin floors, put down rugs at entranceways or clean up spills could lead to premises liability.
If other reasonable adults could easily identify the risk factors that caused the slip-and-fall and agree that the company was negligent, then the person who fell and got hurt may have grounds for a premises liability lawsuit. Documenting what caused the slip-and-fall and reporting the incident to management could help people recoup their medical expenses, property damage losses and lost wages after preventable slip-and-fall incidents. Injured people may need help understanding their legal rights.
Injured people may be able to take legal action against a business or property owner in some cases. Other times, they may be eligible for compensation from business or property insurance. Pursuing a premises liability lawsuit after a slip-and-fall can potentially minimize the harm people incur because of a business’s negligence.