In today's world, the word seems to be "sue," even when the fault is clearly with the person and not the business where the accident occurred. Unfortunately, in many cases, it is easy to claim injuries from a fall without having to provide any proof. Why is that? Because many businesses, especially retailers, are so haphazard in their methods of safety that they cannot even prove to anyone whether a claim is valid or not.
If stores and other businesses wish to avoid claims of slip and fall accidents, they need to begin by assuring that the aisles are clear and free of any kind of liquid on the floor. The most common occurrences of falls involve spills on the floors that have not been cleaned up. Although it's easy enough to say that people need to be cognizant of where they are walking, the real truth is that business owners and managers need to be aware of spills on the floor, debris in the aisles, and any other obstructions that may cause someone to fall. If you are in the habit of not clearing away obstructions, it is an open invitation for people to claim falls and injuries in order to collect on insurance claims.
One of the most common ways people find to claim slip and fall injuries is that of ice in the parking lot of a business. If the ice is there, it is next to impossible for anyone to say the accident didn't happen because of the ice. It may very well be that the person who made the claim didn't even fall, but when the evidence supports the possibility, there is little anyone can do. Making it easy for people to slip and fall is something that is far too common with businesses, and even sometimes with individual homeowners and apartment managers. It seems to be so much easier with snow and ice to let it go, thinking that the sun will warm up and melt the ice. By doing that, sets someone up for a lawsuit.
Leaving debris in the hallways and entranceways is another way businesses set themselves up for lawsuits. It doesn't matter that someone is capable of walking around the obstruction. If it's there and someone CLAIMS they fell and suffered injuries, there is nothing anyone can do but pay. Unless you have cameras in the area where the accident occurred and were able to videotape it, there is no way to prove it didn't happen. When you set yourself up for a potential accident by failing to exercise proper safety precautions, you cannot blame someone for taking advantage.
Lack of safety precautions is the major cause of slip and fall cases that involve injuries, both real and imagined. Avoid setting yourself up for a potential lawsuit by making certain that all aisles, parking lots, and entrance ways are clear of debris, liquids, ice, and anything else that has the potential for causing injury to others who may enter or leave the property.
