Individuals occupy, patronize, and utilize public properties and facilities every day. They rarely stop to consider who maintains these properties and how that maintenance, or lack thereof, could possibly affect them. Holding property owners accountable for the condition of their property and how that condition may affect their guests is an aspect of premises liability. Guests and tenants who are injured by a property owner’s negligence should be aware of their rights and what damages they may be eligible to recover
Causes and Consequences of Inadequate Maintenance
When property owners neglect to put the time and effort into maintaining their site and its surroundings, guests of the property or business can sustain unnecessary injuries. Unfortunately, it is common for these maintenance issues to not be addressed until it is too late. This sort of premises liability can occur in numerous environments including the workplace, common areas such as shopping centers and apartment complexes, stores, roadways, and public transit.
Types of maintenance issues that could lead to guest injury include insufficient security, spills or fallen merchandise, uneven or broken stairs or sidewalks, overgrown or improperly maintained trees, and cluttered aisles and hallways. In addition, a property feature that is often overlooked is the property’s lighting. Unfortunately, a lack of proper lighting can lead to more opportunities for violent crimes and should be monitored on a regular basis.
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