Minnesota businesses and home owners have an obligation to provide visitors and patrons with a reasonably safe environment.  This responsibility includes providing a safe entry and exit to the premise.  The most common type of liability dispute deals with home and business invitees slipping and falling.   Accidents often occur because walkways are covered with snow, ice, or other hidden dangers, there is inadequate maintenance of the walkway, insufficient lighting, or the walkway is improperly constructed.  There can be accidents involved with escalators, elevators, swimming pools and hidden hazards.

It is no surprise that Minnesota has severe winters.  Busy homeowners and shopkeepers are not responsible to remove snow as it falls.  However they are responsible, once a reasonable time has passed, to shovel or put down sand and salt to avoid exposing pedestrians to danger.

Property owners can be sued for premises liability.  Under premises liability, a landowner or property owner can be held liable for injuries who suffer injuries on their property.  A property owner may be liable for injuries if there is a failure to maintain the property but the owner or the owner creates a condition that may result in injury or damage to another’s property, if the owner knows of the danger and is aware but does nothing to eliminate the hazard or warn other of the condition or the owner’s actions or inactions cause damage to his or her neighbor’s property.  Property owners need to keep the premises in reasonable safe condition or warn individuals of dangerous conditions that exist.  Additionally, a property owner in Minnesota is strictly liable for dog bites. 

If you have been the victim of a slip, trip or fall or have had a claim for premises liability filed against you, call the Minnesota Personal Injury Attorneys at Klun today to discuss your case.