Premises liability is a legal concern for business owners as well as any type of property owner. If a person is injured on your premises, you could be held liable for his or her injuries. Although that is a broad interpretation, the general idea is that as a property or business owner, you are responsible for ensuring that your premises are safe.

Premises liability cases can take many different directions in court, and there is a wide variety of potential circumstances that can trigger a lawsuit. Here are three important things you should know about premises liability so you can better understand the legal concept and take precautions to protect yourself and your physical property:

1. Premises liability is not just slip-and-fall injuries

A well-known type of injury associated with premises liability cases is slip-and-fall. One example of this would be in a grocery store, where a spill on the sales floor causes a customer to slip and fall, suffering an injury as a result. This is a rather clear-cut example of how the premises owner can be held responsible for the customer’s injury by not taking the proper precautions to provide a safe shopping environment. However, there are many other types of injuries that can also constitute premises liability. For example, if a dog bites someone on the premises, something that often happens to mail carriers, the injured person may sue the dog owner and premises owner(s). 

2. Swimming pools are a danger

A particular risk in terms of premises liability is that of swimming pools. Property owners with a swimming pool on the premises must be particularly careful about their legal responsibilities and rights. Some states require specific protections in place around swimming pools, such as fences or other safety devices. These cases are especially prevalent in warm-weather locations such as Palm Springs.

3. Property owners are also responsible for security

The property owner’s responsibility does not stop at ensuring that the grounds are properly maintained and kept clean to prevent injuries. Ensuring adequate safety and security for those who enter the premises is also important. If an assault takes place on a property, the owner may be held liable for providing inadequate security that could have thwarted the assault.