Owning a business is an immense undertaking, and while it is hard work, it is often a rewarding experience. While many of the customers that will visit your establishment will have an overall positive experience and will leave satisfied, there may come a day when a customer suffers an unfortunate accident while on your business premises. With the litigious nature of today’s society, there is a chance that the injured customer under the theory of premises liability could sue you.
Many business owners carry premises liability insurance in one form or another. However, just because you may have premises liability insurance does not mean that you should simply admit fault or settle the claim made against your business. As a result of losing or settling a premises liability claim, you and your business could face significant out-of-pocket expenses, or increased insurance premiums. In the worst-case scenario, you might even risk losing your business.
Examples of Premises Liability Claims
Premises liability claims take a wide variety of different forms, and basically cover any personal injury that occurs on your business premises. Some examples of common premises liability claims include the following:
- Slip and fall accidents. Bad weather and debris on the ground are common sources of slip and fall accidents, which may lead to premises liability claims.
- Claims against a business for not providing adequate security. A premises liability claim can be brought against a business if a customer was injured or attacked by someone else while on the business premises, and can make allegations that the harm would not have happened if there had been better security measures in place.
- Personal injury claims resulting from injuries sustained while on the property. An alleged victim could bring a claim against you if he or she was injured while on your property or in your store.
- Actions committed by third parties. Sometimes claims against a business under premises liability are brought when a third party is negligent, which results in injuries to the alleged victim.
- Wrongful death. In the most unfortunate of circumstances, a person might be killed.
Fighting Premises Liability Claims
As an insurance carrying business owner, is important to fight premises liability claims for a number of reasons. Sometimes alleged victims make false premises liability claims, some victims alleged that their injuries were caused by defects on your property when they in fact were not, and some victims exaggerate their claims. You shouldn’t be held liable when you are not at fault. And don’t be fooled into thinking that you have insurance for a reason and that you should use it. Losing a premises liability claim is bad for your business as it can lead to increased premiums and out-of-pocket expenses.