Under the legal doctrine of premises liability, a Connecticut property owner has the responsibility of keeping the property safe for anyone who happens to visit the premises. In the event a person is injured on the property and the cause was something that the property owner should have foreseen or was otherwise caused by negligence, the owner could be liable for the injuries.

So what makes a property unsafe? There are several factors, as Forbes explains, that contribute to making a property hazardous. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

Lack of Vigilance

Sometimes the best option to increasing the safety of a property is to be proactive in looking for trouble before it actually shows up. It does not mean you have to inspect your premises in detail every day, but being proactive should entail making you and anyone who works for you on the property aware of what is going on. A discerning eye can pick out problems before they actually manifest. Conversely, a lack of vigilance can allow a hazard to fester and possibly result in harm.

No Repairs or Correction

A reason why people may be hurt on your property is because the hazardous condition is not corrected in a timely manner. Sometimes a trouble location is not corrected because the staff responsible for cleanup is not told about the problem, or no one knows who is responsible for cleaning up or performing repairs. Property owners should make it clear who should deal with floor spills, clear away ice from outside walkways, or fix broken floor tiles.

No Warning Labels

In the event your property does contain a hazardous spot that cannot be fixed immediately, you need to mark that location with a warning sign. The sign should be placed so that it can easily be seen, and the sign should convey a clear notice to people. This sign should remain in place until the hazard is dealt with. Without a warning sign, a person could wander into the dangerous spot unaware and suffer serious injury.

Because injuries resulting from unsafe properties are varied, do not take this article as offering legal advice. Its purpose is to provide educational benefit to Connecticut residents on the topic of premises liability.