With an injury rate of 357.9 per 100,000 people and more than 272,000 emergency room visits each year, it’s not unusual for Oregon residents to sustain unexpected injuries. As a result, it’s not uncommon for a large number of personal injury claims to be made either.
Unfortunately, businesses of all types can face personal injury lawsuits, so taking action to protect your company’s liability should be a top priority. To get started, explore these five top steps to protect your business from a personal injury lawsuit now:
1. Identify Potential Risks
Until you know what safety risks are present, you can’t take action to mitigate them. By conducting a risk assessment, you can identify potential risks to your staff, customers, and members of the public. Then, you’ll be able to implement effective health and safety measures to reduce the risk of accidents.
2. Train Staff Effectively
If your business faces a personal injury lawsuit, there’s a fair chance it might come from a worker who has been hurt while performing their duties. According to the latest statistics from the U.S. BLS, approximately 47,800 non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses occur among private industry employers in Oregon each year and these often result in workers’ comp claims and/or legal action against the employer.
By training your staff effectively and providing a safe working environment, however, you can prevent workplace accidents and avoid a lawsuit that may follow.
3. Take Out the Right Insurance
Choosing to take out business insurance, such as general liability cover or commercial auto cover, gives you added protection if someone is injured and decides to claim your company. With the right policy, you can make sure that your legal fees and any damages that need to be paid are funded by your insurer.
4. Understand Your Liability
Business owners are often surprised at just how far their liability extends when it comes to personal injuries. As a result, they are poorly prepared to defend against claims and lawsuits, which leaves them in a precarious position. By taking the time to understand your liability, you can identify how and why you’re most likely to face these claims – and how to stop them.
5. Get Legal Advice
If someone claims your business in Portland, hiring a personal injury lawyer should be a top priority. However, you don’t have to wait until a claim is issued to seek legal advice. Working with personal injury lawyers now could help you to protect your business against claims in the future. What’s more – you’ll have established a good working relationship with a specialist personal injury lawyer if you ever need to defend your company against a lawsuit.
Why You Need to Protect Your Business from Personal Injury Claims
Personal injury compensation awards can run into millions of dollars, so it’s vital to make sure that your business is properly protected against these types of lawsuits. When you factor in the reputational damage that can occur, the consequences of a personal injury claim can be devastating. By taking steps to protect your business now, you can ensure that your company won’t be damaged if someone sustains an unexpected injury as a result of your operations.
