If you’ve been injured in a store or on commercial property, you might be wondering who is at fault. In Wisconsin, the law is very clear. The Wisconsin Safe Place Statute requires property owners and employers to maintain an environment that is as safe as the nature of the premises will reasonably permit. This applies to visitors, customers, and employees alike.
“If It Stays Wet, It Stays Unsafe”
When a store is aware of a hazardous, wet, or icy condition but fails to act, they are often legally responsible for any resulting injuries. At Groth Law, we live by a simple rule: If it stays wet, it stays unsafe.
As Jonathan Groth recently explained during our legal trivia session:
“Our legal trivia answer, in our opinion, is C: the store is responsible. They’re responsible if they know that there’s a hazardous condition that’s been there for too long, they’re on notice of this condition, and they should have a policy or practice in place to remove the hazardous condition and they don’t—well then, they’re responsible. There’s a thing called the Safe Place Statute in Wisconsin.”
Proving “Notice” in a Personal Injury Claim
To win a case under this statute, a Wisconsin Safe Place Statute lawyer must typically prove that the owner had “notice” of the hazard. This can be:
- Actual Notice: The store knew about the spill or ice because an employee saw it or was told about it.
- Constructive Notice: The hazard existed for such a long period that the store should have discovered and fixed it if they were following a reasonable safety policy.
Know Your Rights on Commercial Property
Retailers and businesses often have specific policies in place for floor inspections and snow removal. When those policies are ignored, people get hurt. If you’ve been injured on commercial property, you shouldn’t have to carry the financial burden of their negligence alone.
Groth gets it. We specialize in holding negligent property owners accountable.
Were you injured in a slip and fall? Speak with an experienced lawyer at Groth Law today.