When you visit a business or an apartment building, you expect it to be reasonably safe. Property owners have a duty to the public to maintain their facilities in a way that complies with building codes and allows for safe and appropriate use of the premises.
Unfortunately, businesses often keep their staff levels so low that employees may not be able to address certain maintenance issues in a timely manner. Beyond that, property owners sometimes delay making crucial investments in repairs. What are maintenance issues with a property that could lead to someone getting hurt in a slip-and-fall incident?
Poorly-maintained stairways
Whether there is an apartment building with stairs between floors or a business in a split-level building with multiple small internal staircases, stairs can be a major safety concern at a property. Peeling linoleum, burned-out light bulbs and loose handrails are all examples of stair maintenance issues that could lead to someone falling and getting hurt. Even unswept dirt or litter on the stairs could lead to a preventable injury.
Unsecured rugs or no rugs at all by an entrance
Everyone who comes in and out of a building could track in either dirt or precipitation, both of which could lead to other people falling. Proper rugs near the entrances of a building absorb any liquid on people’s shoes and clothing and also provide a place for them to knock off dirt and sand on their shoes.
Buildings that don’t have rugs by entrances could place visitors at unnecessary risk. Buildings with unmaintained rugs that have become completely saturated or crumpled up could create other slipping and tripping hazards.
Inadequate internal cleaning
A visitor could spill coffee in a lobby or knock over a jar, leaving its contents and broken glass all over the floor. Buildings open to the public need to have regular inspections for cleanliness and safety. If there aren’t workers on hand to address spills and puddles when they occur, people could end up significantly injured if they slip and fall as a result.
If a business owner was negligent in the maintenance of their facilities, anyone hurt on the premises may have grounds for an insurance claim or possibly a civil lawsuit. Evaluating your situation to see if you can bring a premises liability claim could help minimize the financial consequences you experience because of someone else’s bad property management practices.
