In order to bring a claim against an individual or business, there typically need to be certain qualifying factors. For example, if you want to bring a slip-and-fall claim against a business where you fell and got hurt, you will naturally need to prove that the incident happened and then demonstrate the real-world impact of the incident.

Medical bills, employment records that show you missed several weeks of work and even the repair receipt for the phone that you cracked when you fell can all help prove that you suffered real damages and validate your desire to bring a personal injury claim. To be successful, however, you’re also going to have to show that the property owner’s negligence is behind your accident.

The role of neglect in a premises liability claim

There’s a popular saying that “accidents happen.” However, most of the time when someone gets hurt while visiting a business, what occurred was not truly an accident. An accident is a situation that people could not reasonably predict or take steps to prevent.

Many slip-and-falls are the result of preventable problems. These problems are often the result of negligent maintenance or cleaning. Not keeping enough staff available so that the company can quickly respond to reports of spills or liquid accumulation by the front door is one example of negligence.

Failing to maintain machinery, repair a roof or otherwise prevent water or even small pieces of inventory from spilling onto the floor in the first place could also arguably constitute negligence. In order to bring a successful claim, you should show that a reasonable person would have handled the situation differently or that the company was clearly negligent in how they handled cleaning, maintenance or customer communication.

If you’ve been injured in a slip-and-fall accident, find out how an attorney can help.