If you or someone you know has been injured in a slip and fall case, establishing responsibility can be tricky. An experienced Indiana injury lawyer can help you understand who can be held liable, which is crucial to building your case and getting the compensation you deserve.
Along with the initial steps of seeking medical attention and gathering evidence, the question of who is responsible is one of the primary things a slip and fall victim needs to figure out. This blog serves as a brief guide to determining liability in a slip and fall case.
The Legal Responsibilities of Managers and Property Owners
To hold a business or property owner responsible for your slip and fall injury, you need to establish that they owed you a duty of care. In the State of Indiana, property owners are legally obligated to maintain a safe environment for visitors.
Owners and managers owe the highest duty of care to invitees. These are people who are actively encouraged to be on someone else’s property, especially for the owner’s benefit.
Where an owner is inviting others onto their property, the owner is obliged to keep up with the following:
- Regular inspections: Someone needs to be on the lookout for potential physical hazards, like wet floors, slippery surfaces, and broken stairs.
- Warning signs: When the owner or manager becomes aware of a danger on the property, they are required to alert visitors—especially invitees—to the problem area.
- Timely repairs: It’s not enough to note that a hazard exists; there’s also an obligation to promptly address the situation.
- Clean and safe environment: Owners or managers are expected to maintain a clean environment, free of debris.
Click here to read more about liability in a slip and fall case.
