Most business owners and managers understand why it’s important to take care of your company’s physical location. After all, customers who are given the choice between doing business in a well-maintained facility compared with one that’s run down will always choose the one that’s well-maintained. But when it comes to parking lots, there’s another very good reason to keep them clean and properly maintained: if you don’t, it could result in a law suit.
A parking lot that has potholes, large cracks, an uneven surface, missing or broken wheel stops, and/or faded or nonexistent striping can be hazardous to customers and others visiting your place of business. In fact, parking lots are typically referred to as a “premises liability” by those in the legal profession. Of course, nobody wants another person to be injured – and certainly not injured due to our own negligence. But when another person gets into an automobile accident or falls down in a poorly maintained business parking lot, there is more at risk than simply the wellbeing of the person who is injured. For the company owner, it can mean a costly law suit – one that can have a devastating impact on your business. In fact, depending on which state you reside in, you could be held responsible for paying everything from hospitalization to long-term medical treatment to time lost from work for anyone injured in your parking lot.
Unfortunately, in our litigious culture literally anyone can file a law suit against another company or individual, whether or not that involves a poorly maintained parking lot. In fact, it’s quite possible for someone to fall down or get into an accident in a parking that is perfectly clean and brand new. But there’s one important difference: if that law suit goes to court, you as the business owner/manager will have a much better chance of winning if you can show proof that your parking lot was well maintained and free of any obvious hazards.
And when it comes to hazards, even debris left on your paved surface can diminish your protection against law suits. If your parking lot is covered with fallen leaves, for example, that can hide any potential problem areas on the pavement and create a slick surface for pedestrians and traffic as well.
Protect yourself and your business by cleaning your parking area on a regular basis. And make sure that any damage to the pavement is repaired quickly. To find out more about how best to care for your parking lot, contact a local reputable paving contractor today.