01 Oct Slip-and-fall accident liability relating to floors
Any time you enter into a store or public place in New York, the area should be free of slipping and tripping dangers. In fact, the owner and/or property manager of the premises you enter have a legal obligation to ensure that the premises are safe for guests.
In spite of these legal obligations, many people who are in charge of keeping a property safe neglect their responsibilities. Let’s say you were shopping at a grocery store, for example, and you slipped on the contents of a broken jar of jelly. Depending on the circumstances, the owner of the grocery store could be liable for financial damages.
Property owners’ liabilities relating to floors
A property owner could be liable for a slip-and-fall accident injuries if the owner:
- Didn’t put up a warning sign regarding a slippery, damaged or wet floor that posed a slipping or tripping danger.
- Didn’t cordon off potentially dangerous areas that were damp, slippery or wet.
- Used too much polish or wax on the floor, applied it unevenly or failed to use “nonslip” waxes and polishes.
- Used slippery floor treatments on inclining or sloping floor surfaces.
- Failed to maintain and repair rugs, mats and carpeted floors so they don’t pose a slipping risk.
- Failed to remove items that may have gotten stuck in a carpeted floor that posed a tripping risk.
It’s vital that property owners and property managers train their employees to keep an eye out for tripping hazards relating to the above and other issues. Failing to train employees to immediately take care of dangers represents negligence on the part of a property owner.
Pursuing financial damages after a slip-and-fall accident
As per New York personal injury law, a property owner may be liable to pay for an injured accident victim’s medical care, time spent unable to work, temporary and permanent disabilities, pain and suffering and other categories of damages. Ultimately, a potential plaintiff’s ability seek these damages will depend on the facts and circumstances surrounding the accident as well as the extent of the injuries.