All business and property owners in the state are required to maintain their property in safe conditions. They could be held liable for any accidents that occur on their premises due to negligence. Essentially, this means that they are always at risk of a liability claim or lawsuit. It also means that they should consider premises liability insurance.
What is premises liability insurance? Should a property owner consider it for their business or home? This article answers these and more crucial questions.
If you have been injured in a premises liability case, consider discussing your case with an experienced Jersey City Personal Injury Attorney.
Premises Liability Coverage
Insurance covers are designed to protect you from unprecedented financial loss in the event of an accident. Premises liability coverage works the same way. Essentially, it covers the losses suffered by a victim in a premises liability accident.
Premises liability accidents are those that occur on a property due to the presence of a dangerous condition. One of the most commonly reported incidents is a slip and fall. Generally, this refers to when someone slips or trips over an obstacle or slippery condition and falls.
Typical causes of premises liability accidents include:
- Wet or slippery floors
- Uneven flooring
- Loose floorboards or tiles
- Poor lighting
- Loose cables and electric wires running across the floor
Most property and business owners take precautions to avoid these circumstances. Those who don’t leave themselves vulnerable to lawsuits. Besides finances, a premises liability lawsuit can have dire consequences on a business’s reputation.
Premises liability insurance can help a business owner avoid this.
Who Is Covered?
Overall, there are three types of visitors who could get injured on your property. Your extent of liability will often depend on which category a visitor fits in. This means that your insurance policy might not cover some visitors.
The three recognized categories include:
- Invitees – An invitee is someone who was invited onto the property, such as a customer. Invitees are owed a reasonable duty of care.
- Licensees – This is someone who hasn’t been invited onto the property but is permitted to enter it, such as a utility worker. Licensees are often aware of safety hazards and are owed some, but not the highest, the duty of care.
- Trespassers – A trespasser is someone who is not permitted and has not been invited into a property, such as a burglar. They are owed a limited duty of care.
Common Exclusions
Premises liability insurance does not cover all visitors. It also might not cover every type of accident. For instance, if you sell mowers and someone gets hurt in their home while using your product, the injury will not be covered under your premises liability coverage. The insurance also does not cover employee injuries and damage to your property, such as a fire.
Talk to a Jersey City Personal Injury Attorney
What is premises liability insurance? This is basically protection for property owners against the costs of a premises liability lawsuit. If you get injured on someone’s property due to their negligence, you can file a claim against their insurer to receive compensation.
At the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone, we are dedicated to protecting the rights of injury victims. Attorney Carbone has been handling personal injury cases for over 3 decades. If you have been injured in New Jersey, contact us at 201-829-3805 to speak to a Jersey City Personal Injury Attorney.