It may be everything you can do to keep up with your business's daily operations. Your attention may be devoted to ordering inventory, balancing your business checkbook, and managing your employees. Even so, one of your top priorities should also involve protecting your customers. Thousands of people slip and fall each year while they are out shopping or visiting public places. You can protect them, yourself, and yourself by making sure you have the best business insurance that will cover unexpected accidents and accident-related expenses.
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Accidents that Can Happen at Your Business
If you take the time to think about what accidents could actually happen at your business, your imagination may run wild, and you could envision events that could not possibly occur. Even so, you should be aware of common accidents that do frequently happen at businesses today. If you are not properly insured, you could be held liable for accidents such as:
Slip and Fall
The CDC warns that thousands of people each year slip and fall in businesses. Sometimes these accidents are people's own fault; however, many times it is the fault of the businesses. Workers who do not properly clean the floors, business owners who put door mats and runners in the wrong place, and owners who do not keep their sidewalks and walkways smooth and safe invite such accidents to happen. When these accidents occur, you may have little recourse but to apologize and make the situation right, especially if you failed to take these precautions. Owners like you often do win their cases in court, particularly if the visitors can prove that the business owners are at fault.
Weather-Related Events
As a business owner, you have the responsibility of providing protection against the weather at your business. It can be difficult to predict the weather, but you still must do your best to provide some protection against storms, heavy rain, and snowfall. For example, after your area receives a heavy snowfall, you must get out and shovel your parking lot and sidewalks. Failing to do so can cause drivers to wreck into your business and other people. They could also fall and get hurt because of the slick conditions on your property.
Elevator and Escalator Dangers
If you use escalators or elevators on your property, you must ensure that these fixtures are working correctly at all times. People who trip and fall on your escalator or who get caught, pinched, or trapped in your elevator could sue you for damages. Having these fixtures inspected and repaired every year as necessary can help you prevent these common workplace accidents.
The Value of Employing an Attorney
Regardless of whether or not you are liable for the accident, you should still hire a local attorney that is knowledgeable about slip and fall accidents. An example would be, if your business is NY based, to retain a slip and fall accidents NY based attorney since they would be well informed about local and state laws about this type of accident. Your attorney can help you investigate the accident's circumstances and counsel you about the aspects of it that you could not control or had no influence over. Your attorney can also help you with the legalities and may be able to negotiate a lower settlement with the victims. Before you agree to, sign, or speak to anyone else, you should first hire a lawyer to help you.
People can become injured in a variety of ways when they visit your business. You can protect yourself and your clients when you invest in the right insurance and retain a lawyer who is experienced in this aspect of law.
Formerly in business management and as owner of her own business, Lisa Coleman shares the importance of having the right insurance coverage for the protection of a person's business establishment, and encourages a business owner to consult with an attorney if an injury occurs on it. The Perecman Firm, P.L.L.C. is a slip and fall accidents NY based attorney firm that is experienced and knowledgeable in slip and fall accidents and is equipped to legally counsel a small business owner about someone who has been injured on their property due to this type of accident.