For business and property owners, the best ways to prevent accidents from happening involve maintaining properties and removing potential hazards. Things such as poor lighting, unattended items left in aisles and slick floors are accidents waiting to happen that could cause injury to customers. According to premises liability laws in Hawaii, property and business owners may be held liable when hazardous conditions cause injuries to visitors.
A woman in another state filed a lawsuit after she was allegedly injured while shopping in a popular home improvement store. The lawsuit says the woman came upon a steel platform cart that was left unattended. Allegedly, the heavy-duty cart caused her to fall and suffer injuries.
The woman claims there was no way for her to avoid the dangerous condition and were no warnings posted alerting customers to the hazard. The plaintiff seeks to hold the store responsible over claims that the store was negligent in allowing the alleged hazardous condition to exist and failed to protect customers. The plaintiff seeks punitive and compensatory damages as well as all just relief.
No one expects to suffer serious injuries while shopping or visiting a store or business. However, this is exactly what happens to thousands of people every year across Hawaii and the United States. In Hawaii, when the negligence of property or business owners results in injuries to lawful visitors, victims can take legal action by filing a claim in civil court. If successful, a premises liability suit can provide victims and families with much-needed compensation to help with any monetary losses such as medical expenses.
