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What a slip and fall entails for business owners

Staten Island NY Personal Injury Lawyer > Premises Liability  > What a slip and fall entails for business owners

What a slip and fall entails for business owners

On behalf of Orin Cohen of Orin J. Cohen Law

Business owners in New York, even those who run a small business, know how costly it can get to uphold their duty of care to customers and employees. They must ensure that all entrants are safe when on their property, so there is the cost of maintenance and repairs as well as the cost of training employees on how to identify and prevent hazards. Signage will also be required for wet floors and other safety risks.

The risks on any given property can be numerous: ice on sidewalks, cracks in the pavement, unsecured carpets, cords and other trip hazards, poorly lit stairwells and loose railing on stairs. Any of these can lead to a serious slip, trip or fall accident and, consequently, to a premises liability claim.

If an issue only recently came to the owner’s attention, though, it could be argued that the owner did not have sufficient time to address it, in which case he or she may be cleared of wrongdoing. Nevertheless, business owners will still have to pay to defend themselves and their brand.

Premises liability insurance costs at least $500 annually for small business owners; the price can be higher depending on the business type and size. Despite all of the precautions that owners may take, there is no such thing as total immunity.

A lawyer may be able to help victims who wish to file a premises liability claim. A lawyer might evaluate the claim and make sure it’s solid before hiring third parties to gather proof against the owner. This could include the incident report, witness testimony, the explanations of expert witnesses, photographs and surveillance camera footage. The lawyer may then negotiate for a settlement out of court, taking the case to court only as a last resort.