Premises Liability: Everything You Need to Know
If you own a business or public property, you need to be aware of some liabilities and how it applies to your operations.
The consequences of not understanding and adhering to any liability can be severe, resulting in expensive lawsuits, medical bills, and other damages.
In this blog post, we’ll go over everything you need to know about premises liability, so you can make sure your business runs safely and responsibly.
So read on!
What is Premises Liability
As a property owner, you are responsible for the safety of visitors to your property. You are held liable and must take the necessary safety precautions if someone on your property is injured. This could be due to a hazard that you knew of or should have known of.
For example, if you know that a certain spot in the property has a slippery surface, you must take measures to prevent someone from slipping and getting hurt. Understand that as a property owner, you are also responsible for the amenities and property features and must ensure that they are safe for occupants.
Understanding Duty of Care
Understanding the concept of duty of care is essential in any premises liability legal claim. Duty of care is the legal obligation placed on property owners to ensure that their premises are kept safe and secure.
Property owners are required to take reasonable steps to protect visitors from potential hazards. Failing to fulfill this duty of care can lead to liability if someone gets hurt. It is therefore important to be aware of the duty of care as well as the potential risks associated with one’s premises to protect against a premises liability claim.
The Common Hazards
The owner of a property can be held responsible for any injuries that occur due to negligence or hazardous conditions. Common hazards associated with premises liability include:
- poor lighting
- slippery floors
- inadequate handrails
- improper security
Poor lighting can create a slip-and-fall hazard. A wet or slippery floor can result in the same injury. Inadequate handrails or even a lack of a handrail can present a hazard on stairways.
Improper security can leave a premise open to criminal activity, which put visitors at risk of harm. Proper maintenance, inspections, and warnings can help reduce the chances of these hazards.
Consequences of Negligence
To establish negligence and recovery, the injured person will be required to prove that the owner had a duty of care to the visitors. They must also prove with the help of a premises liability lawyer that the owner breached that duty of care and that this breach resulted in the injury.
If negligence is proven, the property owner may be obligated to pay for:
- medical bills
- lost wages
- emotional distress
- pain and suffering
- other damages
Additionally, depending on the severity of the injuries, the property owner may be found liable for punitive damages. In many cases, property owners will have insurance that covers premises liability claims.
However, if not, the property owner will have to pay for any damages out of pocket. Ultimately, premises liability negligence can have serious financial and personal consequences for a property owner.
Understanding Premises Liability is Important
Understanding premises liability is critical to avoid being held liable for any potential injuries that occur on your property. Become educated about proper safety policies and procedures, to ensure everyone is kept safe.
By properly understanding premises liability law, you can avoid costly situations. Contact a lawyer today to further discuss your premises liability guidelines.
For more reads aside from this basic premises liability law guide, visit our blog.
