Properties open to the public, such as grocery stores, are highly likely to have spills or wet floors, with customers moving around carrying liquids that may drop or leak and employees cleaning floors. If a spill occurs or after cleaning, property owners should place warning signs to avoid slip-and-fall accidents.
If you are involved in such an accident on someone else’s property due to negligence, perhaps they failed to place a warning sign, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
But what if the property owner used wet floor signs? Can you still file a claim?
Here is what you need to know:
Was the sign effectively placed?
Placing a warning sign on the floor doesn’t mean the property owner has done their best to avoid an accident. A warning should be effectively placed.
For starters, it should be placed in a highly visible area – where no one can miss it. The sign should be visible from all directions a customer may come from. Or better yet, a property owner should place a sign on each side of the wet floor or spill, especially if the area in question is near a blind corner. It’s recommended to arrange warning signs in a triangle around a wet area to cover as many angles as possible.
Additionally, warning signs should not be placed near a staircase, elevator or a blind corner, as they can create a tripping hazard. Further, property owners of larger premises with multiple entrances allowing customers to access an area with a wet or slippery floor should have enough signs to put in all entrances.
If you slip and fall on a property despite a warning sign being available, don’t assume that you lack a case. Get more information to protect your rights.