7 Instances Of Premises Accidents And Know Your Rights
by Abdul Aziz Mondal Legal 20 September 2022
As a worker working on a construction site or an employee in a white-collar job, you know accidents can happen anywhere.
From getting injured by falling debris on a construction site to slipping and falling in your office’s conference room due to a wet floor, you may never know where or when you might get injured.
And in such cases, you must know your rights and seek compensation from your employer for your medical expenses and mental suffering.
While most employers will brush this off, saying it’s not the company’s responsibility and that “you must be more vigilant,” it doesn’t work that way.
If you’re injured on a company’s premises, the company can and will be held liable in most cases. But what can be some of the common instances of premises accidents? Read on to learn more.
7 Premises Accidents Instances and Know Your Rights
1. Inadequate Lighting
Lighting helps workers work in any commercial setting and can lead to accidents. This can happen in both indoor and outdoor settings.
For example, the company can be held liable if you’re walking in a parking garage with no lights, or the lights are dim, and you trip and fall. The same goes for an office building where the hallways are dark, and you slip and fall due to a wet floor that wasn’t properly marked.
2. Poor Maintenance
One of the most common complaints against many employers is that they don’t maintain the property well enough. This can manifest in many ways, from a simple lack of cleanliness to more serious problems like leaky roofs or faulty wiring.
If you’re an employee, you have a right to a safe and clean workspace. If your employer isn’t providing that, it may be time to start looking for a new job.
And if you’re injured due to poor workplace maintenance, consider hiring a premises liability attorney to get you the compensation you deserve.
3. Inadequate Security
If you work in an office building or live in an apartment complex, the security should be tight enough to deter criminals and protect tenants. But what happens when it’s not?
If there’s a break-in at your office and you’re injured, or if you’re mugged in the parking lot of your apartment complex, the company can be held accountable.
The same goes for any commercial setting where security is supposed to be present but fails to do its job.
4. Slippery Surfaces
This is one of the most common accidents occurring on commercial premises. Whether it’s a wet floor in your office building or ice on the sidewalk outside a store, you can hold the company accountable if you slip and fall. This is especially true if no warning sign indicates the slippery surface.
5. Uneven Surfaces
Many people trip on uneven surfaces in commercial buildings. This can be anything from a raised sidewalk to a poorly laid carpet. The company can be held liable if you trip and fall due to an uneven surface.
Moreover, you can stay vigilant on such surfaces such as:
| 1. If there is a large gap between the floor and the carpet 2. If there are bumps in the flooring 3. If you see cracks in the walls or ceiling |
6. Defective Elevators and Escalators
If you work in a building with several floors, chances are you use the elevator or escalator to get to your floor. And while these are typically safe, there have been cases where they malfunction and cause injuries. You can hold the company responsible if you’re injured in such an accident.
7. Falling Objects
Whether it’s a stack of boxes falling on you in a store or a piece of debris hitting you on a construction site, falling objects can cause serious injuries. And in most cases, the company can be held liable.
Final Word
These are just some of the common instances of premises accidents. If you’ve been injured in a premises accident, don’t hesitate to contact an attorney to fight your case.
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