Preventing Personal Injury Liability At Your Business
If you own a business, especially one that is open to the public at large, there's a good chance that you may find yourself as a defendant in a personal injury suit. These cases can be costly, even if there is merely a settlement involved. However, there are a few ways you can prevent these cases from happening in the first place. Throughout the course of this brief article, you will learn of just a few ways that you can prevent someone from suffering from a personal injury at your business.
Taking Care Of Icy Conditions
Icy conditions can create a situation in which someone can easily slip and fall on your property – and subsequently hold you liable for damages. Be proactive about the situation, and if your business resides in an area that is prone to icy conditions during the cold winter months, pay attention to weather forecasts, and make time to salt pathways leading up to your business. When snow and ice does accumulate, make sure that the snow and ice from your property's pathways are sufficiently shoveled, so that customers can safely reach your place of business.
Sweeping and Mopping Schedules
In addition to scheduling employees to sweep and mop the floor, you should take the time – recommended at two times a week – to directly oversee that the floors are sufficiently clean and free of any debris or objects that could cause your customers to slip and fall. It is also imperative that you inform your employees that they must properly mark areas of the floor as wet after they have completed mopping. Make sure that they do so during both regular business hours and closing times, as an unaware employee may slip and fall, while holding you liable for damages.
Merchandise Stacking
Merchandise that is precariously stacked can injure a customer or fellow employee. Take the time to look around your store and make sure that all merchandise – especially merchandise that is higher up on shelves – is properly stacked. It is also in your best interest to not stack merchandise too high, as customers risk injuring themselves by attempting to grab hard to reach items.
There are numerous ways in which you can be proactive about preventing a personal injury case being levied against your business. Hopefully, you have learned of just a few of those ways. If you do happen to have a personal injury case brought against you, contact an attorney, like the ones at Lawyer, Lawyer, Dutton & Drake LLP.