Potential legal liability is frequently mentioned in this guide. Liability is a process in American civil law that allows a person who has been harmed because of the negligence or wrong doing of another person or company to sue seeking a monetary award called "damages." If, for example, I sustained a broken bone because of your negligence, I might sue you asking the court to require you or your insurance company to pay me "actual" damages. Actual damages might be my medical expenses. If I sustained the injury because a business organization (company) was, in my opinion, negligent, I might also ask for "punitive" damages. The theory is that financially punishing the business entity will cause it to change the negligent practices or procedures. During the second half of the Twentieth Century, there were many punitive damage awards for large amounts of money. Consequently, businesses that want to avoid liability lawsuits expend considerable energy to ensure that their employees do not do things that could cause harm to other people. When you are an agent of a company, a manager, you have an obligation to mentally weigh actions and situations with regard to potential liability. You also have an obligation to instruct and supervise your employees regarding potential liability. "Slipping on a banana peel" is far more than a joke to a grocery store company.