“Premises liability” is the broad term for any lawsuit that results from a property owner failing to take appropriate care of their property. When they are negligent, they place their tenants, guests, and others at risk of otherwise avoidable injuries. Here are seven major premises liability incidents that can result from property owners’ negligence:
- Slip and fall accidents
- One of the most common premises liability categories are slip and fall incidents. These occur when people allow spilled food and drink or other detritus on the floor, or when they fail to deal with potential tripping hazards like loose wires or cables. These dangerous conditions can cause people slip or trip, and sustain serious injuries.
- Improper maintenance
- Another potential cause of premises liability accidents comes arises from improper maintenance of the facilities. Buildings naturally suffer wear and tear over time, and thus require constant maintenance to avoid serious damage. If they are not properly maintained, floors, stairways and railings may become hazards that can cause serious injuries.
- Elevator and escalator accidents
- Elevators and escalators are important ways that people use to get around large buildings every day. While they usually have safety mechanisms that are supposed to prevent major accidents, these mechanisms can break or fail, especially if they do not receive regular maintenance. When that happens, the risk of an injury incident increases significantly.
- Accidents from improper lighting
- Improper lighting is a common factor in many types of premises liability occurrences. Property owners may fail to ensure their lighting is appropriately maintained, allowing lights to burn out without being replaced. Alternatively, they may avoid putting in lighting where it is required, which impairs visibility and increases the risk of injury.
- Injuries from criminal acts
- One thing many property owners do not realize is that they can be held responsible for crimes committed by others on the premises of their buildings. This is because property owners have a responsibility to take measures, like installing security cameras or hiring guards, to protect against foreseeable crimes. When they fail to take measures against criminal acts on their property, they can be held liable for any harm people suffer as a result.
- Dog and animal bites
- People love to have dogs and other pets on their property, but unfortunately, they do not always take care to ensure their pets do not hurt people. They may fail to control their animals by putting them on leashes or fencing them in, or they may fail to properly train them. This can lead to potentially dangerous dog attacks and bites, for which the property owner is responsible.
- Swimming pool accidents
- People buy swimming pools expecting they will get lots of fun out of it during the summer. Unfortunately, they do not always take precautions or provide supervision to prevent diving accidents or drownings. Failure to take reasonable precautions can result in tragedy and liability for the pool owner.
Fox Law Firm, PLLC is a New York personal injury law practice serving clients throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties. With over three decades of experience, attorney Kevin Fox has helped clients in personal injury cases obtain the compensation they deserve. For more information or to ask for a consultation, call our Riverhead office at 631-779-3400 or visit our contact page.
