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3 ways property owners may expose visitors to serious injury risks

On Behalf of | Aug 1, 2024 | Personal Injury

Premises liability is a legal term which describes the financial liability of property owners. Businesses and people who own residential property have an obligation to make those spaces reasonably safe. Unfortunately, not all property owners are diligent and responsible about maintaining safe facilities.

Visitors, customers and tenants at rental buildings can incur significant injuries because of issues with a property. In some circumstances, injuries may lead to premises liability insurance claims or lawsuits against businesses, property owners or landlords. There are many small mistakes that can make a property less safe, but the three issues below are among the most common reasons a property owner or business may be liable for visitor injuries.

Understaffing at a business

Keeping the number of workers on hand as low as possible is an important step for controlling operational expenses. Some businesses take such efforts too far and do not have enough workers on hand to ensure safe facilities. When workers don’t have enough time to engage in cleaning and facility maintenance, visitors can very easily end up hurt in preventable slip-and-fall incidents.

Cutting corners with security

Inadequate security is a common form of negligence at businesses and rental properties. Opportunistic criminals tend to target locations without security cameras or adequate lighting. Victims of criminal activity can sometimes take action against a business or landlord when simple security measures may have prevented a criminal incident. If other reasonable people could see the risk, a property owner or landlord may be liable for failing to take reasonable action to prevent a crime from occurring.

Delaying maintenance efforts

Maybe a landlord at a multi-unit property keeps ignoring complaints about a loose handrail in the stairs until someone falls and breaks a leg. Perhaps a company operating a retail establishment doesn’t repair a leaking roof or malfunctioning freezers, leading to a customer slipping in a wet spot and getting hurt. When maintenance issues with the property result in someone getting hurt, the property owner or business renting the space may be liable for the losses incurred by the injured party. Premises liability claims often result in insurance compensation. However, the injured party may need to pursue a lawsuit to push the insurance company to settle in some cases.

Connecting a significant personal injury to poor property maintenance or questionable business practices may benefit those in need of compensation. People shouldn’t have to accept financial setbacks due to the negligence of property owners, businesses or landlords.