Does Posting Caution and Warning Signs Protect Businesses in Slip and Fall Cases?

Prominent and clear warning and caution signs warning people of danger can offer some level of protection to property owners in a premises liability or slip and fall claim. If you were hurt after a slip and fall accident in a place where a caution sign was posted, you may still have a claim to recover compensation for your injuries and associated losses.

But you must be able to show that the owner did not act with reasonable care based on the circumstances of the accident and that you suffered injuries because of the owner’s negligence.

Slip and Fall Accidents and The Legal Obligations of Property Owners

All property owners have a legal duty to ensure people’s safety on their premises. Slip and fall accidents are the most common reasons for premises liability claims, and they typically involve serious injuries, including broken wrists, ankles, hips, head and brain injuries, or spinal cord damage.

It’s the duty of owners to post clear warning signs if the floors are uneven, slippery, or otherwise damaged so that people will be aware of the unsafe conditions. But simply having a sign does not automatically absolve the owner from liability for the injuries a person sustains. For a caution sign to be effective, it must be clearly visible and indicate which parts of the floor are unsafe.

This means that if a sign was hidden or posted too far away from the unsafe area, a slip and fall accident victim may have a strong claim against the owner who failed to properly warn people about the floor’s hazards. Similarly, a warning sign that’s unreadable or too small will not be sufficient because people won’t be able to see it and notice the dangerous condition.

In such cases, the owner may be held liable for the injuries a person suffers while on the property, even if a caution sign was present. The same applies if the owner only posted one warning sign on a large property.

Warning and Caution Signs Are NOT Always Effective

Wet floor warning signs, in particular, even if positioned near wet surfaces, usually go unnoticed. A study about the impact of warning signs found that only 7% of people who passed regular wet floor caution signs see them. Additionally, in some instances, people may accidentally push the warning sign or deliberately move the caution sign, resulting in the sign being misplaced and going unnoticed by other people.

Put simply, merely posting a warning sign does not do a whole lot to ensure people’s safety in the vicinity of a dangerous floor, so property owners must ensure that they have other means of warning people about unsafe flooring conditions.

Talk to a Skilled St. Pete Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer

Slip and falls may seem like minor accidents, but they can and often result in severe injuries. The legal team of Tragos, Sartes & Tragos know what needs to be done to ensure that negligent property owners will be held liable for an injured victim’s injuries and related damages. Complete our online form or call 727-441-9030 to set up a free case review with our St. Pete slip and fall accident lawyer today.