Many different types of accidents can happen on premises that are owned by another person or entity.
The most common premises accident is a slip and fall accident. These accidents can occur both indoors and outdoors and often result when a premises owner or occupier fails to maintain the premises properly and keep it clean, safe, and free from debris. Indoor slip and fall accidents are common in restrooms, restaurants, and grocery stores, while outdoor slip and falls can occur on sidewalks and in parking garages, parking lots, and driveways.
A slip and fall accident occurs, for example, when there is a puddle of water or a spill on the floor in a restaurant, causing a restaurant patron to fall to the ground and sustain injuries. For the business to be liable, however, it must know about the defect and take reasonable measures (within a reasonable period of time) to either warn about the hazard or correct it.
Accidents that occur on boats and other types of watercraft also fall under the umbrella of premises liability claims. Owners of cruise ships, boats, and yachts are required to keep staterooms, deck areas, and other common areas clean and safe at all times. If a patron suffers an injury while onboard the watercraft, such as in a slip and fall accident on the deck, the accident victim can file a claim or lawsuit against the individual or entity that owns the watercraft.
Premises owners and building owners are also responsible for ensuring that elevators and escalators in operation on their premises are in good working order at all times. These devices transport large numbers of individuals every day, and they need to work well and not malfunction. Moreover, companies that perform repair work on these devices are responsible for undertaking the repairs in a safe, careful, and workmanlike manner.
When premises owners do not keep elevators and escalators on their premises safe or repair companies do not perform repair work properly, and someone suffers an injury as a result, the accident victim can seek monetary damages from the building owner or the repair facility.
Accidents can also occur at amusement parks when rides are not adequately maintained and malfunction, causing riders to suffer serious injuries. Amusement park owners have a duty to regularly inspect all walkways, restaurants, and rides in the park for hazards and keep them reasonably safe for the benefit of all park patrons.
With respect to rides and attractions, personnel have a duty to regularly inspect amusement parks (sometimes several times per day, during peak season) to ensure the rides and grounds are safe for park patrons.
Similarly, inspectors and others who perform repair work on these rides are responsible for conducting any repairs in a safe and workmanlike manner. When an amusement park patron suffers an injury due to a malfunctioning ride, they can file a claim or lawsuit against a potentially responsible person or entity, including the amusement park itself.
In addition to amusement parks and theme parks, swimming pools (including the pool deck surrounding the swimming pool) also contain hazards. Swimming pool owners have a duty to regularly inspect the pool and the premises surrounding it and keep them free from defects.
In addition, the pool owner is responsible for making sure adequate guarding at the pool is present at all times and that a sufficient number of lifeguards are on duty at a given time, based upon the number of bathers in the pool.
Likewise, pool owners must ensure that sufficient rescue equipment and first aid equipment are available for the benefit of pool patrons. If a pool patron sustains an injury or drowns, that patron (or the patron’s loved ones, in the case of a drowning accident) can take legal action against the pool owner or operator for damages.
Finally, injuries that occur on someone else’s premises due to negligent security can bring about a premises liability claim. Premises owners and individuals who own s business, especially shopping malls, stores, bars, hotels, nightclubs, and restaurants, have a duty to ensure that their premises are safe for the benefit of their patrons. Consequently, they have a duty to equip their premises with security cameras or security personnel to keep an eye on what is going on at all times.
In cases where a patron injures another patron on the business premises, such as in the case of an assault, the business owner can be liable if the proper security measures were not in place on the premises.
If you or someone you love sustained an injury on someone else’s premises, you have a legal right to pursue and recover monetary compensation and damages for your injuries. The experienced Lawrenceville premises liability attorneys at Brauns Law Accident Injury Lawyers, PC can help you determine if you have a valid legal claim against a premises owner, and if so, can help you pursue the compensation you need.
