Is It Possible to Sue a Business Because of a Personal Injury?
December 7, 2019
Personal Injuries Sustained at Pittsburgh Businesses
Unfortunately, random injuries – like slip and falls – can happen to anyone at any given moment. Some of these injuries can occur inside establishments where people are running their businesses. When a person is injured while visiting a business, they could potentially file a personal injury lawsuit. Learn more below.
Accidents Caused by Negligence
If a person gets hurt while visiting a business, it is usually because the business owner or the employees were negligent in some way. The business may have failed to offer protection to its guests. If the environment is not safe, different problems can arise and it is the customers of that business that could suffer the most.
Providing a Safe Environment
Business owners want customers to come into their establishments because that is how they make their money. Because they are inviting customers inside the building in an attempt to make a sale, they are taking on the responsibility of providing a safe environment, which is also known as the duty of care.
Standards for Invitees
Customers are invitees because business owners are extending an invitation to them to enter the premises. Because they are invitees, the property owners must make these individuals aware of any potential risks they would come across while on the premises. The property owner should perform a full inspection to ensure that the property is safe before allowing customers to come into the building or onto the property in the first place.
Standards for Licensees
Licensees typically have permission to be on the property for a specific reason. For example, the licensee might not be a customer but he or she might be inside the building to use the restroom because it was the closest one in the area. Even if a person is just a licensee, they still have the right to be made aware of potential dangers and risks.
Standards for Trespassers
Unlike invitees and licensees, some people are considered trespassers because they have entered the premises without the business’ permission. The property owners are not necessarily expected to warn trespassers of potential dangers of being on the premises simply because those individuals were not welcome in the first place. Still, property owners cannot go out of their way to create an unsafe environment for those that are trespassing.
Common Business Standards
Business owners are expected to abide by certain standards that would create a safer environment for invitees, licensees, and even trespassers. These standards would include:
- Having the property inspected on a routine basis
- Keeping the property clean and putting up caution signs when floors are wet
- Using protective mats by the door to keep customers from bringing water in with them
- Making repairs when they are necessary
Breaching the Required Duty of Care
If a business owner has breached the duty of care and a person was injured as a result, they will need to provide proof of the accident that occurred. Proof is often available in the form of photos taken immediately after the accident, surveillance footage from inside the building, and statements from witnesses that saw the condition of the property firsthand before the accident occurred.
Along with proving the business owner breached the duty of care, it is necessary for the injured individual to prove that the business owner or the employees that work for said business were careless and negligent. The injured person would need to provide proof of any injuries, such as a concussion or broken bone.
Contact a Pittsburgh Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Premises Liability Case in Pennsylvania
Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a slip and fall accident in Pennsylvania? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Goodrich & Geist, P.C. represent clients injured because of accidents in Pittsburgh and the surrounding Westmoreland, PA counties. Call 412-837-8426 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 3634 California Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15212.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.
