When you visit a commercial establishment where a dangerous condition exists, the owner and employees owe a duty of care to warn you of the potential for harm. A supermarket manager, for example, may ask employees to set up a large warning sign near a leaking ice dispenser to alert customers of a wet and slippery floor.
If an accident occurs, such as tripping over spilled ice and falling, you may seek relief for your injuries. As noted by Business.com, to have grounds for a premises liability claim, you need to show that an owner or employees knew of a dangerous condition and failed to fix it.
Failing to maintain safe premises
A warning sign serves as proof that employees had an awareness of a hazard and knew a serious accident could occur. An employee tasked with mopping a wet floor who fails to keep the area dry could cause an owner to face liability.
For instance, an employee taking a lunch break should ask another employee to continue mopping the floor. If not possible, the store should cordon off the area with the wet floor until someone could attend to it. If the store fails to do so, you could show a breach of duty led to an accident that caused your injuries.
Obtaining relief through a legal action
Your claim against a business owner may seek damages for your medical expenses and compensation for noneconomic damages, such as pain and suffering. A jury could also award you for the time off from work required to recover.
An establishment may, however, hire an aggressive legal team to defend itself against a premises liability suit. By claiming, for example, that you assumed the risk by not heeding a warning sign, the owner may attempt to prove that your own carelessness caused your injuries.