Imagine having your life disrupted by an easily preventable injury such as a slip-and-fall. You may have hospital bills and time away from work. Your injury could be serious enough that you become permanently disabled or even die because of injuries sustained during a fall.

A business owner is responsible for remaining aware of any dangerous conditions on the premises of his or her store. Once the owner knows about any dangerous conditions, he or she must take steps to protect customers from injury and the consequences of falls. There are several common types of conditions that can lead to slip-and-fall premises injuries.

Slippery or dangerous floors

You have probably seen the yellow cones in a restaurant or supermarket that warn customers of a wet floor. This is because business owners usually clean up spills, mop and polish their floors regularly, but they still must shield the public from the dangers of a slippery floor. The yellow warning cone is one way to protect the public.

There are other ways that a business owner could be liable for a fall injury. If the application of floor wash or floor polish isn’t proper, or if the application surface is uneven, those conditions could lead to a preventable injury. Carpeted floors could become dangerous if business owners neglect them, and rips or snags in the carpet cause a customer to trip.

Unkept and aging stairs

Stairs inside of a retail environment could become worn down or rounded. Sometimes, debris can accumulate on stairs, contributing to a dangerous condition. Since a fall down a flight of stairs can be so dangerous, there are typically some type of non-skid surface and handrails for added safety.

Faulty device mechanics

In some environments, such as airports and malls, escalators and elevators are available for customer use. Since these devices transport passengers, they are at an even higher standard of safety. Injuries from a faulty mechanism on an escalator or elevator could be from jerking motions or by allowing individuals to become caught in the transportation device.

Preventing a slip-and-fall

As a customer, you want to feel reasonably safe on the premises of a retail store, knowing that you can shop in peace. However, problematic situations can occur. Of course, you must take reasonable precautions to avoid harm, but the store owner must also do his or her part.

Whether your injury was due to:

• failure to warn about the danger
• failure to block off the dangerous area
• failure to maintain the floors and stairs
• missing safety features
• or another issue

you should not have to pay the price for someone else’s neglect.

A slip-and-fall injury can be life-changing or even deadly. By seeking compensation, you not only pay for your medical bills and financial damages, but you help set the expectation that neglect of a store’s premises will not be tolerated. Business owners will then make changes in their retail environments that benefit everyone in the long run.