Wisconsin residents may find themselves with injuries caused by dangerous property conditions. This is unacceptable, which is why those who have suffered slip-and-fall accident injuries should consider whether legal action is in their best interests.
Although most people who think of slip-and-fall accidents probably think of spilled liquids in a grocery store, the truth is that premises liability encompasses many other situations. The conditions outside of a residence or building, for example, can pose significant dangers to unsuspecting pedestrians. Icy sidewalks can result in a serious slip-and-fall accident that causes serious injuries, for example. Liability may be imposed in these situations when a property owner knew or should have known that icy sidewalks posed a threat to invitees or that patches of refreezing regularly occurred, thereby posing a risk of harm. Additionally, to succeed on a legal claim, a victim must show that the property owner did nothing to remedy or warn of the situation.
There are other conditions that can pose a threat as well. Inadequate lighting in a parking lot or outside of a business can cause individuals to trip over curbs and step in holes, thereby resulting in injuries. Again, to prove liability in this type of situation, a victim would need to prove that the property owner knew or should have known that the inadequate lighting presented a hazard to those who were invited onto the property, and that the property owner failed to take action to rectify the issue.
Property owners have a responsibility to keep their premises safe. Unfortunately, many Wisconsin businesses fail to take this matter seriously, which can spell disaster for their customers. Even those who enter onto private property as a guest of another can find themselves seriously injured by hazardous conditions. Injured victims may have legal options.