For many Georgia businesses, one of the primary causes of injuries that happen on their premises is slip-and-fall accidents. This is especially true for businesses that have a lot of people walking in them, such as retail stores.
There are several hazards that can lead to a person’s slipping, tripping and falling. These include broken pavement or floor surfaces, holes, poor draining and slippery surfaces. This is especially true during the winter with snow and ice or when it is raining.
Travelers Insurance recommends that businesses investigate what happened when a slip and fall accident has occurred, whether inside of their stores, on the sidewalks or in the parking lots. The company suggests interviewing witnesses to find out if a claim is likely. Similarly, people who are injured in a slip-and-fall accident on premises owned by a business should also get the names of witnesses and have them interviewed. This can help them with negotiating a claim for damages from the business’s premises liability insurance carrier. In some cases, businesses will have their parking lots cleaned by other companies with whom they have contracts that have indemnity clauses, so these agreements should be reviewed as well
People who are injured in a slip-and-fall accident may want to speak with a personal injury attorney who can determine whether the business knew about but failed to correct a pre-existing dangerous condition. If that is the case, then the attorney might consider filing a lawsuit against the company on behalf of the injured victim that would be grounded on premises liability.