Maison Law represents slip and fall accident victims across Bakersfield, including those that suffer injuries at Vallarta Supermarkets. These grocery stores have five locations across the city, all of which carry the risk of being hurt in a slip and fall accident. To learn more about your legal options in these situations, contact us today for a free consultation.
Should You Hire Our Lawyers?
There’s no legal requirement that says you need a lawyer to represent you in an injury claim after a slip-and-fall accident–or any other accident, for that matter. More to the point, if your incident was only minor or you were only slightly injured, legal action probably isn’t necessary for you at all. However, regardless of how serious your injuries are, you still have the legal right to file an injury claim. And the more hurt you are, the more help you’ll probably need.
Our team of experienced slip-and-fall accident lawyers can certainly help your cause in these situations. We can explain your rights, investigate what happened, and help you put together a strong case. Better yet, we offer free initial consultations and work on a contingency-fee basis, which means there’s no upfront cost for you at all.
How Liable is Vallarta Supermarkets?
Just because your slip and fall accident happens at a Vallarta Supermarket doesn’t mean that they’re automatically liable. With that said, though, it’s highly likely that the company will at least share some liability for your injuries. This is because every business has a:
- Duty of care to keep you and other customers safe while on the property.
This actually applies throughout the store’s property, not just inside the doors. So, if you’re hurt in the parking lot or some other area of the store–as long as you’re allowed to be there–you have the protection of the law.
But it’s the circumstances of the accident that’s going to determine who all is liable. Usually, this will fall on the following:
- Store management or employees
- The owner or lessor of the property
- Other shoppers
- Maintenance workers
- Security contractors
- City government
In real terms, figuring out all the liable parties is very important to how your claim plays out. Not only will it actually set the boundaries for who you file your claim against, it will bring in more potential for damages. Before that happens, though, it’s important to take steps to protect yourself.
Things to Do After a Slip-and-Fall
Again, just because you have the law on your side in a slip and fall at a Vallarta doesn’t mean there aren’t things you need to do after it happens. In fact, once an insurance company gets involved–which is a guarantee in an injury claim–they’ll try to take any advantage they can to pay you as little as possible. That’s why it’s important to do the following things:
- Take care of your injuries – Always prioritize your health and safety first by seeking immediate medical attention. Internal injuries or concussions may not be immediately apparent, so keeping copies of all medical records, including bills and receipts, is crucial.
- Tell the store what happened – Tell an employee or store management about the slip and fall as soon as you can. Also see if the store will create a written report of what happened that outlines the details of the incident, its location, and the conditions leading to the accident.
- Get evidence at the scene – Take photos or videos of the accident site and any hazardous conditions contributing to the incident. Record the date and time, and collect names and contact information of witnesses, if possible.
- Keep any evidence – Make sure to keep any damaged clothing, property, or shoes from the incident, considering them as potential evidence to support your case. More to the point, don’t repair or fix them, as it will be important evidence.
Because these steps are so important, our team can be a huge help here. We’ll help you gather important evidence and can even get things you might not be able to, like surveillance footage or policy handbooks. All of this will add up to a stronger claim, and hopefully, more damages.
What Are Your Damages?
Like any grocery store or big box store, Vallarta Supermarkets have certain conditions and components that more often lead to slip and fall accidents, like:
- Slippery or wet floors, especially in produce or refrigeration sections
- Poorly laid out or cleaned aisleways
- Loose or missing flooring
- Poor lighting
- Lack of warning signs
While it’s on store management to take care of these hazards, they frequently cause injuries to you and other shoppers. In most slip-and-falls, this ends up leaving you with:
- Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Fractures and broken bones, especially in your arms, wrists, or hips
- Muscle strains
- Ligament damage
- Shoulder and neck injuries
- Emotional trauma
When you combine all of these elements, you get your “damages” from the incident, which you can recover in a claim. Typically, you do this either by filing an insurance claim outside of court or a personal injury lawsuit within the court system. Either option allows you to recover things like:
- Medical expenses, which cover costs for hospital visits, doctor’s appointments, medication, and therapy.
- Lost wages, which provides financial support for time missed from work due to the injury.
- Pain and suffering, which covers the physical pain and mental suffering caused by the accident.
- Property damage, which covers repair or replacement costs for any personal belongings damaged in the fall.
- Reduced quality of life or companionship, which provides consideration for not being able to do things the way you once did or impact on your personal relationships because of the accident.
There’s two important additional things to consider. First, you have to file your claim within California’s statute of limitations, or risk missing out on these damages. Currently, you have two years from the date of the accident to file. Also, California has laws in place regarding “comparative negligence”, which holds that your overall recovery can be reduced by your level of fault in the incident.
Get Help from Our Slip-and-Fall Accident Lawyers in Bakersfield
You don’t plan on getting hurt when you visit a grocery store like Vallarta, but accidents can happen. If you slip and fall, you might end up with medical bills and other problems.
At Maison Law, we think stores in Bakersfield should make sure you’re safe. If they don’t and you get hurt, our experienced slip-and-fall accident lawyers can help you make them take responsibility. Contact us today for a free consultation about your situation.
