If you’ve ever worked in food service, or even seen the “Caution Wet Floor” sign in a restaurant or other public place, you probably already have some idea of premises liability. These signs are put out to warn the building’s visitors of an unsafe or hazardous condition. If the owner of the building did not take this step and knew the floors were wet, they could be held responsible if a guest slipped and fell.
Overall, premises liability is a legal concept that is applicable when someone is injured on someone else’s property and can prove that the injury was caused by an unsafe or defective condition. Additionally, the person initiating the lawsuit must show that the property owner knew about the hazardous condition, had enough time to remedy it, and chose not to.
What Is the Standard of Care?
Premises liability cases emerge when the owner or tenant of a property fails to exercise an appropriate standard of care. When we enter another person’s property, we expect to be safe from danger. While not every threat can be eliminated, there are reasonable precautions that can protect us from accidents or intentional violence. You may have a case if you were injured at a location where the owner failed to do one or more of the following:
- Clean up or indicate ice, liquids, or slippery substances
- Erect safety barriers near stairs, walkways, or other dangerous areas
- Take reasonable security measures
- Restrain a dog or other domestic animal
If you were injured at another person’s property under any of the above circumstances, you may be entitled to compensation. Find out if you are eligible to file a premises liability lawsuit by calling the Dallas personal injury lawyers at Mathias Raphael PLLC Accident & Injury Lawyers at (214) 739-0100 or filling out a contact form today!