subject: Workplace Accidents Can Occur Outside the Main Door [print this page] Workplace Accidents Can Occur Outside the Main Door
Although a firm is likely to take full responsibility for the condition of floors and working surfaces inside their premises, many may not think they have a duty of care to provide for customers in the surrounds of the premises. Depending on how much land is owned by the company, the company footfall may be large, which places a large level of responsibility onto the firm. A perfect example of this may come from a supermarket, which has a vast amount of car parking space and public walkways within their walled land. The company may place signs up saying that customer's park on the premises at their own risk but this does not excuse neglecting to provide a sufficient duty of care.
A good example of this situation would be a car park that has failed to prepare for an overnight freeze. It would be of benefit for the company to lay out salt or grit throughout the car park to make the driving conditions safer for their customers. A failure to provide this level of care increases the likelihood of injury or crashes on the company property and could see the firm being liable for large claims.
Another road related area which firms have to be aware of is potholes. Wintry conditions can lead to potholes occurring within a car park area and if the pothole is of sufficient size, a great level of damage could be done to a car which drives over a pothole. If there has been a strong amount of rainfall, the pothole may have the appearance of a puddle, which could make many drivers think it was safe to drive over. This could cause a great level of damage to a car and the firm may well be responsible for not repairing the hole or informing customers of its whereabouts.
Similar complaints could be levelled against the firm if they fail to provide safe and consistent walkways for the customers. Some of the larger supermarkets have a great number of walkways for customers to enter the store and these can be affected by ice or wintry conditions may impact on their consistency. If a customer is walking into the store yet falls or trips over an uneven or disrupted walkway, the company may find that the customer is able to claim for damages. It is always important for a firm to verify how much land and how wide an area they have a responsibility for.
If you have been injured at work you may have a valid accident at work claim and could get the compensation you deserve by enquiring with personal injury solicitors to discuss and guide you through your claim.
