Personal injury claims can occur from any type of accident where another is found liable for negligence. Because of this, businesses can be especially vulnerable to a personal injury claim. Personal injury insurance is important for any business as there are a variety of situations involving both customers and employees in which they can be held liable
Duty of Care
Whether it is an employee or a customer who has been injured, by law, a business owner must provide a safe environment for people to be around. You are ensuring to customers that when you open your business each day, you have upheld your duty to keep them safe while on the property. One important way to provide this is by making sure that you have insurance that will provide the appropriate amount of coverage in the event of an accident. When duty of care has not been upheld, it is likely that you have failed to keep the business free of any hazards that could result in an injury occurring.
Comparative Negligence
Comparative negligence means that the business owner may not be solely responsible for the accident occurring. With this particular law, it is believed that there is a percentage that the person who filed the claim may have contributed to the accident. When this occurs, a claimant may be responsible for a certain percentage of the accident if it was found that their negligence contributed to its’ occurrence. For example, in a car accident if the person is found 40% responsible and the business owner is 60% negligent, the 40% will be taken into account, reducing the value of their claim.
Car Accidents on the Job
Although a person hurt on the job is likely to be covered by workers’ compensation, an employee may be entitled to also file a personal injury lawsuit. In a situation where a car accident occurred while working, the claim may be filed against the businesses car insurance policy. As a business owner who has employees driving as part of their job, you will want to be sure that you have as much coverage as possible. Car accidents happen every day, save yourself the cost of an expensive accident by ensuring that you have the appropriate amount of coverage.
As a business owner, it will be important to protect yourself from possible personal injury claims by regularly assessing your insurance and making adjustments as needed. The future of a business could be in jeopardy if found liable for an injury that is not covered by insurance. In the event a personal injury suit is filed against your business, contacting a personal injury lawyer Salt Lake City UT turns to may be helpful in the protection of your interests.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from Rasmussen & Miner for their added insight.