Business Owners Can Be Held Responsible for Slip and Falls on Their Property
Slip and fall accidents are surprisingly dangerous and surprisingly common. When you attend to your business out in the world – whatever that may be – you probably do not give your safety a good deal of thought. After all, how dangerous can the grocery store really be? Unfortunately, some negligent property owners and managers fail to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition for guests (customers) like you – and dangerous slip and falls can result.
Your Premises Liability Case
To prevail in a premises liability case – in which you slipped, fell, and were injured as a result of a property owner’s negligence – you will need to demonstrate that the following elements are all present:
The property contained an unreasonably dangerous condition, such as an uneven entryway.
The property owner knew about the unreasonably dangerous situation, as he or she would regarding an uneven entryway (it only stands to reason that it has been uneven for some time).
You were unaware of the dangerous condition in your midst, as you would likely be regarding the uneven entryway.
The property owner failed to either remedy the danger or to warn guests like you about the danger, such as with yellow triangle warning signs and/or signs on the door.
You were injured due to the danger (you tripped over the uneven entryway, fell, and sustained injuries).
This example is but one out of many instances that can lead to dangerous accidents and slip and fall claims.
Your Case
Continuing with the example above, your case consists of the following facts:
You entered the business as an invited guest (such as a customer).
The entryway to the business was dangerously uneven.
You tripped on the uneven entryway and were injured in the process.
There is every reason to believe that the business owner/manager knew or should have known about the uneven entryway and the danger it presented.
Rarely are cases this straightforward, but this provides a good general example of how premises liability cases work.
Is It Unreasonably Dangerous?
To prevail in your premises liability case, you will need to demonstrate that the danger that caused you to be injured in the first place was unreasonable in scope. This process applies to anything that poses a potential threat to those invited on the property (guests, customers, clients, patients, etc.). The danger is considered unreasonable if the property owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition's threat but chose not to do anything about it. Premises Liability cases can become very complicated very quickly, and you are well-advised to move forward with professional legal counsel on your side.
Do Not Wait to Reach Out to an Experienced Killeen Personal Injury Attorney
Attorney Brett Pritchard at The Law Office of Brett H. Pritchard – proudly serving Killeen, Texas – has impressive experience bringing complicated premises liability cases to successful conclusions. Mr. Pritchard is here to help, so please do not hesitate to contact us online or call us at 254-501-4040 to learn more today.