Protect Your Business From Personal Injury Lawsuits With These Five Tips
An injury lawsuit against your company can be financially disastrous, and it may even force you to close your doors. Luckily, you can easily protect yourself and your business from personal injury claims simply by being careful, diligent and legally compliant. Here is what you need to do:
1. Stay educated about and follow local regulations
If someone gets hurt on your business property, the victim can bring a personal injury lawsuit against you and your company. In order for the suit to be successful, the lawyer needs to prove you were negligent. It cannot just be an accident.
To be considered negligent, you must know about the situation (or reasonably should know about it). You must also have failed to respond to the dangerous situation, or you must be acting illegally.
To ensure you are following all relevant laws, have a method for keeping informed of all local rules and regulations, regardless of how trivial they may seem to you. For instance, in Toronto, there is a ban on A-frame advertising signs on busy sidewalks. Business owners in this city are only allowed to post these signs if they have a permit.
It may seem like a small deal to break a law like that, but if someone gets hurt – such as a blind pedestrian falling over your sign – as a result of your illegal activities, you can be held liable for their medical bills, pain and suffering. Since you have broken the law, you have little room to defend yourself.
2. Have a method for updating customers about product recalls
In addition to ensuring your business property is not in dangerous disrepair and that you are following local regulations, you also have to think of the effect your business has on your customers off your property. In most cases, this means paying attention to the safety of your products.
Whether you sell children's toys or hamburgers, you need to pay attention to ensuring those items are safe and legally compliant. You also need a system for updating your customers about recalls. For instance, if you have a frequent shopper program that tracks consumer purchases, you can link each account to your customers' email addresses and send them automated emails if something is recalled.
3. Train and protect your employees in safety methods
Your customers are not the only ones who may get hurt and bring a personal injury case against you. Your employees may also make a claim if they get hurt while on the clock. Luckily, you can easily fight this eventuality.
Reduce injuries by educating your employees on safety protocols. Hold meetings on critical safety elements, have regular fire drills and frequently check in with employees to ensure they are being safe. As everyone needs a reminder once in a while, invest in warning and safety signs as well.
4. Invest in liability coverage
Regardless of how careful you are, an employee, a passerby or a client may eventually bring a personal injury lawsuit against you. To ensure you have the funds you need to fight the claim and to make any payouts, invest in liability insurance. However, do not trust your insurance policy to completely protect you.
5. Consult with a personal injury attorney
If you want to ensure you are as protected as possible from liability claims, consult with a personal injury attorney. These professionals can fight a claim against your business, but they may also be able to look over your facilities and your practices and let you know where you are potentially vulnerable from a liability standpoint. They can truly be invaluable if you are trying to minimize risk.
For more information, contact experienced personal injury lawyers in your area.