Business Tips: Preventing Slips, Falls, and Lawsuits

When you go into business, you think a lot about risks and return on investment, but have you seriously considered personal injury? Whether or not you are ever sued, you are strongly advised to prepare for the worst.

Of course you cannot guarantee that you will prevent all injuries, and as a result suits from injured customers. But you can put in place some policies that will minimize the likelihood of a lawsuit. Let's take a look at why businesses get sued for personal injury commonly, and what you can do in advance to try to prevent a suit.

Slips and Falls

Slips and falls are relatively common and often preventable. In order to ensure that your business is safe for customers and that they won't get hurt, create a rotation among workers. Depending on the type of business you have, you will need to make it a regular part of someone's jobs to regularly inspect the premises for any potential safety hazards.

Remember that a business owes its customers a duty of care. That means you must pay attention to the physical state of your business property and ensure that any reasonably foreseeable event is accounted for, including changes in weather, customer spills, and keeping passages clear of possible objects or obstacles. You are not necessarily responsible for every injury that occurs on your property, but if the elements of negligence can be proven, you will pay.

Make it a habit to inspect your premises and address any issues immediately. Don't wait a week when you see something that needs fixing because you may end up wasting a lot of time and money on a small problem if one of your customers gets hurt. If you're not handy, make sure you know someone who is and do business with them as often as is necessary. The expense and hassle will be much less than what you would face if sued.

The Benefits

In addition to preventing customer injury, which is a huge benefit, instituting a regular inspection and maintenance routine will also help your business in other ways. Vigilant maintenance means your business will be safe, clean, and pleasant to enter, plus, customers won't have to scramble to find help as your employees will know that being around and available and keeping an eye on customers is a key element of their job.

Talk to a Lawyer

If you are concerned about injury lawsuits, or any other aspect of business operations, speak to a commercial lawyer. An attorney can help you obtain the right insurance so that you are covered in the case of a lawsuit and advice you more generally on business operations. Get help.

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Related Resources:

• Browse Business and Commercial Lawyers by Location (FindLaw Directory)
• Defenses to Negligence Claims (FindLaw's Learn About the Law)
• State Negligence Laws (FindLaw's Learn About the Law)
• Standards of Care and the Reasonable Person (FindLaw's Learn About the Law)