Business owners in Nevada and around the country have an obligation to provide a safe experience for their customers. If someone trips over a torn carpet or slips on a wet floor, the business owner or operator is generally responsible for damages that an injured victim incurs. A business owner or operator may also be negligent if someone tripped on a cracked sidewalk or was hurt because of a pothole in the parking lot.
It should be noted that an injured victim may not always have a valid claim. For instance, if a person disregarded a wet floor sign or some other warning of a dangerous condition, that may negate the property owner’s liability. Furthermore, if a person wasn’t paying attention prior to tripping, slipping or falling, the property owner may not be liable for a person’s injuries. However, just because a property or business owner may not be responsible for an accident occurring, it is still a good idea to stop them from happening.
This may be done by conducting regular inspections around the premises. Doing so may work to prevent minor hazards from becoming larger in scope. If a major defect is found, it can be corrected before anyone gets hurt. At a minimum, anyone inside of a store or other space should be warned of a dangerous condition until it can be fixed.
Individuals who are injured because they slipped on wet floors may be entitled to compensation. The same may be true if they were hurt because of any other dangerous condition. Compensation may make up for lost wages or lost future earnings. Punitive damages may also be awarded. However, it must generally be shown that negligence led to the injury occurring. An attorney may be able to gather evidence showing that this was the case.
