Slip & Fall Case: 3 Factors That Could Prove The Business Didn't Take Reasonable Action
Posted on: 10 March 2017
If you are involved in a slip and fall accident, you are going to have to show that the employees and property owners of the business where you had your slip and fall accident did not take reasonable actions to prevent your injury. Here are three angles that you can pursue with your attorney that may show that the business didn't take reasonable action to protect you from injury.
#1 How Long Was The Hazardous Condition In Place?
The first thing you need to do is determine how long the hazardous condition that caused you to slip and fall was in place. If your attorney, through evidence, can firmly establish that the hazardous condition was in place long enough that a reasonable employee or business owner should have noticed it and taken steps to fix it, this can improve your case. The longer the hazard was present, the greater the chance that you will be able to establish that the business should have known about the hazard and taken steps to fix it.
#2 Was There A Reason For The Hazardous Condition?
The second thing that you need to determine if there was a valid reason for the hazardous condition to be in place. For example, if the business needed to access some underground plumbing pipes, and they had dug a hole to do so, that would offer some justification of why the hazard was there.
From there, your attorney would need to show that the business didn't take proper steps to warn people about the hazard or that the conditions that made it okay for the hazard to be present, such as digging the hole for plumbing purposes, no longer exist. If, for example, the plumbing was fixed a week ago but the hole was still present, that would demonstrate that there was no longer a need for the hazard.
#3 Were Appropriate Preventive Measures Taken?
Finally, you and your attorney need to figure out if appropriate measures were taken. In the example of a hole created for plumbing purposes, was a cone placed in the hole? Was tape put up around the hole to keep people away from it? Was a warning sign put in place? Was traffic re-routed around the work area? Was the area well-lit enough for you to spot the hole and precautionary measures put in place?
If it doesn't seem as if appropriate measures were taken to keep people safe, this could strengthen your argument that the business didn't take reasonable steps to keep you safe. The three items listed above are just three factors you can use to show that the business didn't act appropriately and that you deserve compensation. Work through these factors with your attorney to see which approach and information will help your case. To find a lawyer to represent you, check out a site like https://grdlaw.com/.
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