Whenever you and your loved ones go out somewhere, the last thing on your mind is that someone will get hurt. Whether you are heading to the supermarket, the mall, or to a local park, you have certain expectations of safety.
Unfortunately, there are times when property owners or the people they employ fail in their duties to keep patrons safe. Though these accidents are usually unintentional, they are often the result of negligence on their part.
If you have been injured on some else’s property, do you know where to turn?
When you need a Washington County premises liability attorney, you can turn to the SMA Law Group to help you get compensation for your accident-related expenses.
What Can Happen?
Premises liability cases can arise whenever a person is injured on someone else’s property and the injury was caused by something that should have been prevented. These claims can be made against business owners, private residence owners, and government agencies.
Slip and Fall Incidents – these are common. In fact, slip and fall accidents account for over one million ER visits annually. These accidents happen when there is a safety problem with surfaces people walk on and can include wet floors, uneven pavement, loose carpeting, or poorly maintained flooring materials.
Food Poisoning – restaurants and other places that sell food products need to keep food stored at proper temperatures. They also need to ensure that served food has been cooked appropriately. If they do not, they risk causing serious illnesses.
Chemicals – just about anywhere you visit uses chemicals to clean their establishments. Their employees need to ensure that all chemicals are put away and stored properly so that no guests, particularly curious children, can get into them.
Security – business owners and government agencies need to ensure that their guests are properly protected. This can include having security guards, surveillance equipment, functioning locks, and well-lit areas.
Parks – many municipalities have local parks. Often, they have equipment for both children and adults. Governments need to ensure that they regularly inspect and maintain this equipment to prevent injuries.
Private Residences – any time a person is invited and welcomed onto private property, that property owner is assuming responsibility for their safety (barring their guest acting irresponsibly). If there are any hazards, they need to warn their guests or fix them ahead of time. This can include swimming pools, walkways, stairs, and more.
