Do you own a brick and mortar business? Do you have public walking in and out of your store-front on a daily basis? Protect yourself from personal injury lawsuits by taking some simple precautions. These steps are easy to implement, and could save you a great deal of hastle in the long run!
1. Think Like A Customer
On your day off, approach your store font as if you are a customer. What does it feel like to walk in the door? What do you do first? What do you look for, touch, smell, and experience? As a business owner, you might not see the things that your customers see, or do the things that your customers do. Go through a complete customer role-play experience, and note down any potential hazards. These are areas things that you will need to fix!
2. Communicate
Your customer needs to know what is safe and what isn’t. Signs that inform your customers of ice, slippery floors, low hanging obstacles, or equiment in use are not rude. They will not deter your customers. Instead, they will show your customers how much you care about them and their safety. In addition, proper signage could help you win a case against your business for personal injury!
3. Buy The Right Insurance
Talk to your lawyer about what insurance plan is best for you. Liability insurance is essential, and the plan that you invest in will be unique to your specific situation. A personal injury attorney Tampa based has said that liability insurance is one of the best protections against claims that a business can have.
4. Keep Your Environment Clean
A clean and organized space offers much less accident potential. Make sure that every item has a place that it belongs. The floor should be clean and free of clutter. Proper storage containers can keep closets and storage rooms organized. Keep cleaning supplies on hand so that your employers can quickly take care of messes and maintain a tidy space.
5. Help Your Employees Stay Safe
Provide great training for your employers so that they know how to operate any equipment necessary for their job. Train employees on safe practices, so that accidents don’t happen in the first place. If an accident does occur, make sure that you are very detailed in your documentation. Call for professional assistance for more severe injuries so that you have experts involved in the case. This will help if the employee decides to take the injury to court. Photographs, timely notes, and signed forms will help you present your case.
Protecting your business from personal injury claims should be a priority in your business. Use your common sense when it comes to keeping your place of business safe. This means thinking like a customer, working with professionals, keeping your space clean, and training your employees. All of these steps will improve the quality of your business, so you can’t lose by completing them! Your store-front should be safe and clean, regardless of the threat of a law-suit. Be prepared and take charge before anything unfortunate occurs!