Individuals who have their own business have a legal obligation to make sure their property is safe. This is because, in the event that they do not, visitors who come onto their grounds can be at risk for being involved in an accident. When an accident happens, it has the potential to cause serious injuries that can impact a person for the rest of their life. It is because of this that they can pursue legal action against a negligent business owner under premises liability law. Continue reading below to learn more.
What are the Three Legal Classes of Visitors?
There are three different classifications of visitors under premises liability law:
- Invitee: A person who is on a property due to express invitation. For businesses, the “invitation” is to transact business for the mutual benefit of both the visitor and the company.
- Licensee: A guest who is on a property for personal reasons instead of business or commercial purposes. This can include a person invited to a house for dinner. Generally speaking, business visitors are usually invitees and not licensees.
- Trespasser: A person who is on a property without an invitation and is violating trespassing laws. This can include customers who do not leave when they are asked or a burglar. Business owners are not required to keep trespassers safe but cannot cause them harm on purpose.
What are Common Causes of Injury Claims?
Common causes of a personal injury accident on business property can include the following:
- Slippery surfaces: Accidents can be caused by rain, snow, ice, spills, wet or waxed floors, etc.
- Faulty stairs and escalators: Accidents can be caused by broken railings, slippery steps, and mechanical failures.
- Falling merchandise: Objects that fall off shelves can injure both employees and customers.
- Physical obstacles: Accidents can be caused by poorly placed electrical cords, protruding furniture, floor mats or door moldings, door stops, fallen merchandise, etc.
- Inadequate lighting: Accidents can be caused by curbs, physical obstructions, steps, potholes, etc. that cannot be seen without proper lighting.
- Parking lots: Accidents can be caused by concrete car stops, potholes, misdirected cars, uneven pavement, poor signage, construction, criminal activity, etc.
- Sidewalks: Accidents can be caused by broken, cracked, or uneven sidewalks. Business owners are generally not responsible for government-controlled sidewalks but they can be for those adjacent to their business.
- Food poisoning: Customers can become sick due to the poor handling of food, poor storage, or the transmission of disease from employees at food-service locations.
Contact our Firm
Retaining an attorney after an injury-causing accident is the most effective way to ensure that you receive the compensation to which you are legally entitled. To learn more about how we can help you, call the Wilton Law Firm today at 732-275-9555 or send us an email through our online contact form.
