When Is a Business Liable for a Slip-and-Fall Injury?

 Posted on July 03,2019 in Workplace Injuries

When someone slips and falls in a restaurant, shop, or other place of business, they can suffer serious harm such as broken bones, back and neck injuries, or brain trauma. If this happens to you, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, including medical expenses not covered by your own health insurance, lost wages, and pain and suffering. 

However, not every slip-and-fall will be awarded compensation. You have to have evidence that the business owner was negligent in their duty to maintain reasonably safe conditions for their customers. 

Business Owner Negligence Is Necessary for Slip-and-Fall Claims

Consider these scenarios that might happen at a Virgin Islands resort:

• Being too focused on the beautiful scenery in front of you, you trip on the stairs leading down to the beach and fall, breaking your wrist. Because you were not paying attention to where you were going, the accident is your own fault. You can expect the business owner to take a full report, photograph the area where you fell, interview witnesses, and argue that they did nothing wrong. 

• You examine the stairs you just tripped on. You notice that all of the other stairs have a non-slip tread nailed to them, but that the tread is loose on a couple of them including the stair you tripped on. Another guest mentions to you that they also slipped there. If you are quick to get the names and contact information of other guests who noticed the unsafe condition of the stairs, and you take photographs of the stairs, you will have a good chance of collecting on a claim for damages. The key lies in demonstrating that the property owner knew, or should have known, that the stairs were a hazard that they had plenty of time of fix before your accident happened.

• While walking down some outdoor stairs, you step to one side to let other people pass you. You lean on the handrail for support and it breaks off its supports, causing you to tumble awkwardly to the ground and severely injure your knee. A resort manager comes to your assistance and, when you assert that the handrail was in disrepair, the manager claims they had no knowledge of this and therefore they cannot be held responsible for your accident. When the matter of negligence is hotly disputed, consider hiring a lawyer who can properly investigate the situation. A skilled personal injury lawyer will know how to interview resort staff regarding maintenance practices and identify pressure points that will convince the resort management and their insurance company to pay out appropriate compensation. 

Contact an Aggressive U.S. Virgin Islands Personal Injury Lawyer

If you slipped and fell at a business that was negligent in their duty to maintain safe conditions, you are entitled to compensation for your injuries. An experienced St. Croix personal injury lawyer will help you pursue your claim for damages and ensure that you receive all due compensation. Call Colianni & Colianni, LLC at 340-719-1766 for a free consultation. 

Source: 

https://www.motherjones.com/food/2019/05/bayer-just-lost-another-lawsuit-claiming-roundup-caused-cancer/