Businesses face a lot of liabilities, and personal injuries are one of the liabilities that stores face on a daily basis. Business owners need to prepare for the worst-case scenarios, and one of these scenarios is being sued for outrageous amounts when a person slips and falls in your business – or sustains any type of injury.
Small and large business owners can protect against these claims in numerous ways:
1. General Liability Insurance
Owners of businesses should have general liability coverage. This form of insurance will cover the following expenses:
- Medical expenses
- Attorney fees
If someone is injured on your property or some form of property damage occurs, insurance will cover these expenses. Insurance will also cover damage from your products, services or operations that may damage a client’s property. A defective product that explodes in a customer’s car may be covered under general liability coverage.
2. Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Workers’ compensation insurance ensures that as an employer, you’re not able to be sued for injuries that occur involving employees. If an employee is using a nail gun and the nail goes through their finger, workers’ compensation will cover:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
A company that fails to have workers’ compensation insurance, and the insurance is required in the state, will take on all of the responsibility if the worker is injured at work. It’s important to note that if the employer is negligent, this may allow the employer to be sued by the employee.
But in most cases, workers’ compensation will eliminate the risk of the business being sued by an employee.
3. Easy Reporting and Accountability
Owners have a responsibility to keep the workplace free of hazards and to limit the risk of injury in the workplace. But a lot of small business owners fail to do this. The expense is too high, or the owner doesn’t realize the massive risks that they’re facing.
“While the property owner, business owner or leaser is ultimately responsible for maintaining the safety of their premises, third party contractors can also be held accountable when their direct actions or negligence results in injuries,” claims George T. Bochanis Law Offices.
Negating this negligence is possible, but it will require that the business:
- Make reporting easy. Reporting potential hazards should be easy. Customers should have an easy means to report any hazards. Managers should have an open door policy which allows customers to come in and out of the office to make complaints about any hazards.
- Accountability is key. A person or team should be responsible for trying to make the workplace safe. If there’s an issue, this team should be held accountable. It’s also important that all third-party contracts have the appropriate insurance so that if an injury that is a result of their fault occurs, the insurance can cover the expense.
When businesses make reporting and accountability a priority, it lowers the risks of accidents and injuries in the workplace. Routine inspections of the workplace can also help lower workplace risks and allow for workers and customers to enjoy increased safety.
