Employers are expected to provide a safe work environment for their workers and stores and other businesses are expected to provide a safe environment for patrons. Unfortunately, not all employers and business owners are careful about security and this can lead to violence in the workplace, injury, and workers’ compensation claims in Hollywood and other communities.
According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) over 2 million workers suffer due to violence each year. Many business patrons and customers also are subject to violence and injury.
According to OSHA, workers are especially subject to violence and crime if:
•Their work involves exchanging money with the public
•They work with aggressive people
•They work in isolated areas or alone
•They offer services and care as part of their job (healthcare professionals, customer service agents, health care professionals, delivery personnel, public service employees, and law enforcement, for example, are all more at risk of violence)
•They work somewhere where alcohol is served
•They work late at night or outside of business hours, when there are fewer people around
•They work in areas with high crime rates
Not surprisingly, customers are also at risk in similar situations. For example, customers at banks are more at risk if someone decides to rob a bank or steal money, since ATMs and banks make attractive targets. Customers are also more likely to be a victim of a crime at a business if there are few people about, if the business is located in a high-crime area, or if the business attracts aggressive people. Customers of a bar in a higher-crime area, for example, may be more at risk than customers shopping in a well-lit mall on a Saturday afternoon.
Employers and business owners are expected to take steps in order to prevent crimes on their premises. They are expected to be aware of the dangers in their place of business and to take steps to keep patrons, clients, customers, and workers safe. This may involve:
•Hiring security personnel
•Putting up security cameras as well as warnings that cameras are in place
•Screening employees for aggression and violent tendencies
•Keeping doors and windows secure
•Providing extra security for isolated areas
•Having a written policy for safety in the workplace or business
•Keeping all areas of the business well-lit
•Posting clear warnings in dangerous areas where customers or workers should not venture
•Putting up signs and warnings if there are crimes occurring in the area
When employers or business owners are negligent and a crime or violence occurs, the victims of crime have rights. Many do not realize that they may have a civil claim or an inadequate security claim in Hollywood or their community. If an act of violence has occurred because a property owner did not take adequate precautions, however, the victim of a crime can seek to file criminal charges as well as a personal injury claim.
In this situation, a personal injury claim can be filed even if the perpetrator is never caught. The claim can help a victim pay for medical care, counseling, property damage, lost wages, and more. To start a claim, someone who has been injured simply needs to contact a personal injury attorney in Hollywood or their community in order to find out whether they have a case.
If you think you may have a claim, contact Flaxman Law Group today to review your potential case with a personal injury attorney. Our team of attorneys can help you explore your legal options and the resources available to you.