When is a Business Responsible for a Slip and Fall?
Slip and falls can happen anywhere, but oftentimes they occur on somebody’s business premises. Dangerous situations such as torn carpeting, spilled substances, and broken fixtures can all lead a Florida slip and fall victim to suffer severe injuries. If someone has been injured at a business, when can the business be held responsible?
When the Business Owns the Property
If the business is the owner of the property where the slip and fall injury occurred,then it would make sense that the business may be held responsible for the injury. The essence of a premises liability claim is that a property owner has a duty to keep their property reasonably safe from dangerous conditions so that people who enter the property aren’t injured.
When the Business Leases the Property
Sometimes smaller businesses lease the property where their business is located from a landlord who owns the property. However, the business can be liable for unsafe conditions that cause injury to someone even if they don’t own the property. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to hold the landlord responsible for any damages, despite the business’s control of the property.
When the Business has acted Negligently
If the injured party was lawfully on the property, especially as a customer, that party is owed the highest duty of care. If the business owner acted negligently in either failing to repair a dangerous condition or failing to warn others about the condition, they are subject to premises liability. In order to establish liability, it must be shown that the business owner knew about, or should have known about, the dangerous condition. For example, if a customer spills something on the floor and another customer immediately slips on the substance, there may not have been sufficient time for the business owner to have been aware of the dangerous condition and taken steps to remedy it. In addition, the injured party will also have to show that the business’s negligence was the cause of the injury in question.
Contact a Trusted Personal Injury Attorney
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall at a business, you may need a trusted personal injury attorney on your side. The experienced attorneys at Abrahamson & Uiterwyk will evaluate your case for free. Contact us onlineor call us at 1-800-538-4878 to set up your consultation.