Businesses in Florida have a legal obligation to keep their properties safe from hazards that could injure customers, delivery people or other visitors. When a hazard like a slippery floor or falling boxes hurts a person, the victim might receive damages if the business owner knew about the hazard and took no action to improve safety.
A personal injury lawsuit will need to present evidence that the business owner was aware of a hazard like a hole in a parking lot, poorly lit stairs or unstable merchandise display. A dangerous condition must be in existence long enough for the owner to know about it and have time to attend to the matter.
Negligence on the part of the business owner also needs to be demonstrated within a personal injury claim. An owner that fails to clean up a slippery mess or maintain safe merchandise aisles could be negligent. The law, however, will also take into account the actions of the injured person. The carelessness of a victim could reduce a settlement. An owner might not be held responsible if a victim did not exercise any caution.
An injured person who wants to know more about premises liability could discuss the matter with an attorney. Information about the nature of the hazard and the steps an owner took to mitigate the danger could be studied by an attorney. An attorney might also determine if either the business owner or landlord might be named in the lawsuit. Some maintenance issues could be the responsibility of the property owner instead of or in addition to the business that is leasing the space. To advance the case, an attorney could file paperwork with the court, negotiate with an insurance company or represent the victim during a trial.