B. S. Johnson Law Commercial Premises Liability: Holding Business Accountable
When Business Negligence Becomes Personal Injury.
When you walk into a hotel, a restaurant, or a retail store, you are there to do business. You are an "invitee" in the eyes of the law, a status that affords you the highest level of protection. The property owner has a non-delegable duty to ensure their environment is safe for you.
At B. S. Johnson Law, PLLC, we hold commercial entities to that standard.
Founded by Brittany S. Johnson, an attorney with a double major in Engineering Science and Physics, we look deeper than the surface. We understand that commercial accidents are rarely "freak occurrences." They are often the result of systemic failures—ignored maintenance schedules, inadequate staffing models, or cost-cutting measures that prioritize profit over safety. We serve clients across Richmond and the Commonwealth of Virginia, fighting to ensure that negligent businesses pay for the harm they cause.
Commercial Premises Liability
The Duty to Inspect and Protect
A business owner cannot simply claim "we didn't know" about a hazard. Virginia law requires them to actively inspect their premises for dangers.
Whether it is a loose ceiling tile, a malfunctioning automatic door, or a slippery entryway, ignorance is not a defense. We analyze the business's internal protocols, maintenance logs, and surveillance footage to prove that they failed to exercise reasonable care, directly leading to your injury.
Negligent Security
Foreseeable Crime and Safety Failures
If you are assaulted, robbed, or attacked on commercial property—such as a hotel, apartment complex, or gas station—the property owner may be liable. This is not about blaming the business for the criminal's actions, but for creating the environment that allowed the crime to happen.
We investigate if the property had a history of crime that was ignored. We look for burnt-out parking lot lights, broken gates, non-functional security cameras, or a lack of security patrols. If the crime was foreseeable and preventable, we fight for your recovery.
Falling Merchandise
High-Stacking Hazards in Retail
In "big box" warehouse stores, heavy merchandise is often stacked on pallets high above customers' heads. This creates a zone of danger. We treat these cases as failures of inventory management.
If a pallet was wrapped loosely, or if heavy items were stacked precariously on top of lighter ones, the store has created a gravity trap. We pursue claims for the severe head, neck, and spinal injuries that occur when these "sky-shelves" fail.
Hotel Bed Bug Infestations
Systemic Failure of Hygiene Standards
Bed bugs are not just a nuisance; they are a public health hazard that causes severe allergic reactions, scarring, and psychological trauma. Hotels have a duty to inspect rooms between guests. When you wake up covered in bites, it is evidence that their inspection protocol failed.
We represent guests who have suffered physically and financially (having to discard luggage and clothes), demanding compensation for the hotel’s negligence in maintaining sanitary conditions.
Elevator Malfunctions
Mechanical Failure and Maintenance Negligence
Elevators are complex vertical transport systems that require rigorous monthly maintenance. Accidents here—such as "misleveling" (where the car does not stop flush with the floor, causing a trip), sudden drops, or door sensor failures—are almost always due to skipped service.
We subpoena the maintenance records and the "black box" data from the elevator control system. We identify if the building manager ignored service recommendations to save money, putting your safety at risk.
Escalator Malfunctions
Comb Plates, Skirt Brushes, and Emergency Stops
Escalators are powerful machines with moving parts that can cause catastrophic injury if safety features fail.
Common failures include "comb plate" entrapment, where shoes get sucked into the mechanism, or sudden stops that cause a domino-effect fall. We analyze the specific mechanical failure—whether it was a worn drive chain or a faulty emergency stop sensor. We hold both the property owner and the escalator maintenance company accountable for the mechanical negligence.
Restaurant Burn Injuries
Thermal Negligence in Food Service
Hot food is expected; dangerously hot liquids are not. We handle cases where servers drop scalding soup or coffee onto patrons due to overcrowding or lack of training. We also litigate cases where food is served at temperatures exceeding safe consumption limits, causing severe internal burns.
We look at the restaurant's training manuals and staffing levels to prove that their negligence in the kitchen or dining room caused your injury.
Bar & Night Club Altercations
Aggressive Security and Over-Service
Nightlife venues have a specific duty to keep their patrons safe, both from each other and from staff. We handle cases involving "bouncers" who use excessive force, turning a removal into an assault.
We also investigate "Dram Shop" liability scenarios (where applicable under specific circumstances) and general negligence where a venue continues to serve an obviously intoxicated and aggressive patron who later injures you. We fight to prove that the venue chose revenue over safety.
Hair and Beauty Salon Burn Injuries
Chemical and Thermal Competence
When you visit a salon, you trust the professionals with dangerous chemicals and high-heat tools. We represent clients who have suffered chemical burns from hair dyes or bleaches left on too long, or severe scalp burns from overheating dryers.
These are not "beauty risks"; they are professional failures. We examine the cosmetologist's training and the salon's supervision to hold them liable for the disfigurement and pain caused by their incompetence.
The Engineering of Accountability
We don't just argue the law; we analyze the mechanics of the failure.
Contact B. S. Johnson Law today for a consultation. Serving Richmond, VA and the surrounding Commonwealth.
