Individuals can be responsible for their own falls if they get hurt while in public. Someone under the influence of drugs or alcohol could tumble down the stairs at a popular club, while someone engaging in horseplay near a pool could slip in water left by other swimmers. In such scenarios, the person who got hurt likely doesn’t have much of a claim against the owner or operator of the facility.
However, sometimes it is clearly the business’s fault that a person got hurt on their property in a slip-and-fall incident. What are some of the ways that businesses contribute to slip-and-fall injuries?
They don’t keep enough staff on hand
One of the easiest ways for a business to contribute to someone getting hurt on their premises is to engage in intentional understaffing. When there aren’t enough workers to maintain the facilities, spills or water tracked in on people’s shoes could go unaddressed for hours.
Having enough staff to keep the space clean and safe is a crucial investment for businesses, and leaving things unattended could be an actionable form of negligence.
They don’t invest in machinery or building repairs
A dripping pipe or a leaky roof could cause a puddle that makes someone fall. Machinery that pumps fluids or refrigerates products could leak or cause condensation. Inadequate repairs can easily contribute to preventable risks for visitors.
They don’t keep walkways clear
Most businesses understand that they need to cover power cords that run across the floor and secure the edges of mats so that they don’t become tripping hazards. If a business leaves items out where people will potentially get tangled up in them or trip over them, they could be responsible for any injuries people suffer because they fell.
Recognizing how businesses contributed to your slip-and-fall injuries can help you if you want to make an insurance claim or file a lawsuit against the business.