Gas stations and convenience stores make it easy for Fresno residents to fill up their cars and grab a large variety of snacks and drinks. Unfortunately, some of these “mini-marts” have gotten so big that they now present many hazards on-the-go customers fall prey to in larger stores.
One of these dangers is the threat of slip-and-fall accidents inside and outside of a gas station. The aisles at a convenience store are smaller, but there’s plenty of foot traffic. People filling up fountain drinks or grabbing a cup of coffee often spill liquids on the way out. You could be walking back to the bathrooms when you hit a slick spot, fall hard to the floor, and break a bone.
You may be in pain and in shock at that moment, but you’ll also need to consider how you’ll hold a gas station owner responsible for the weeks of medical care ahead.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Fresno Gas Station Slip-And-Fall Lawyer
It may seem like an easy thing to ask a gas station company to pay your hospital bills. But gas station owners and operators aren’t always willing to admit their employees were at fault for your accident. Your accident could also result in more costs than just medical bills. You could lose valuable hours on the job as you heal and get behind on your mortgage or car payments.
You’ll need full compensation for every hardship you face after a painful slip-and-fall injury and you need to know how to force corporate chains to do the right thing.
Contact Maison Law of Fresno to schedule a case consultation and talk to a skilled, local lawyer about the benefits available to you. Your free consultation places you under no obligation to Maison Law. However, if you decide to allow us to represent you, remember that you’ll need no up-front money. We don’t get paid unless we win your case.
Gas Station Slip-And-Fall Dangers in Fresno
A stop-off at a place like Shell or Valero is designed to be as fast as possible. You pump your gas, you order food, or grab a beverage and run. The gas station owner is happy to see you pop in and out because it means there’s room for the next batch of customers.
But gas station owners and operators are legally obligated to do more than take your money. They must see to the safety of anyone who enters their property. That means monitoring the inside floors for spills and foreign objects that could lead to a trip-and-fall or slip-and-fall. They must also keep the outside as free of hazards as possible as well.
When they fail in this duty and someone gets hurt, proprietors and their parent corporate chains are liable.
These are just a few of the many hazards lurking at gas stations and mini-marts that could leave you or a loved one down on the pavement suffering from a serious injury.
- Spills — Some gas stations now serve up fast food and have self-serve fountain drinks. Customers can be dribbling sodas all the way out the door. Water leaking onto floors in the bathroom is another possible threat to your safety. The dangers should be mopped up and wet floor signs should be out.
- Hazards Along Aisles – Boxes on the floors and cluttered cardboard displays are all hazards that might trip you up. Broken tile or a folded-up floor mat can trip you.
- The Parking Lot and Gas Pumps – An oily residue from the constant stream of cars could cause you to slip and fall and hit your head on a cement pylon. Potholes and crumbling sidewalks are also trip-and-fall hazards that owners are responsible for.
- Auto Repair Shops — Some gas stations also feature on-site mechanics. Garages will have oil and spray lubricants. These substances can track into other areas of the gas station as well.
These and other dangers all exist at a gas station near your house. If you fall and suffer a traumatic brain injury, or fracture a hip you should have the best medical care available and you shouldn’t have to foot the bill. Talk to a Fresno Slip-and-Fall Lawyer about the best way to hold a gas station owner or gas station corporation fully responsible for their negligence.
What to Do After a Slip-And-Fall at a Fresno Gas Station
Holding a gas station owner or operator liable for the medical costs you receive will be done by building a strong case to present to an insurance company. Your attorney will investigate your case and collect evidence to make it difficult for an insurance adjuster to avoid blame for what happened or downplay your injuries.
You can also secure powerful evidence on the scene of your accident. This is often necessary because proof of the obstacle that sent you to the ground will usually be gone as soon as you leave. It will be cleaned up or repaired long before you speak with a lawyer about your case.
If you are physically able, try to gather these important elements for your case:
- Dial 911 if you are hurt. Alert paramedics to every pain you have. Go to the emergency room if necessary. If you must leave, ask someone with you to help you gather details on the scene.
- Alert a manager or employee. The gas station’s corporate owners, like ARCO or Sinclair, will likely require managers to fill out an incident report. This report can serve as strong evidence in your case.
- Don’t accept blame for your fall or say that you’re all right. You might later realize that a store owner was at fault in your fall and pain from a hairline fracture could show up a day after your fall. Don’t make statements that an insurance company can twist and use against you later.
- Take cellphone photos. Document the obstacle that caused your fall. Take pics of any visible injuries. Show any caution signs or caution tape that are present or the lack of these safety measures.
- Talk to witnesses and jot down contact information.
- Get checked out by your physician. Pay attention to any pain that wasn’t there when you fell, but then appears the next day. Sometimes the shock of a fall can mask injuries until days later. Follow the doctor’s orders.
- Contact a Fresno Gas Station Slip-And-Fall Lawyer. Gas stations are usually part of a corporate chain, and those businesses will have corporate lawyers. Those lawyers are paid to either convince you to drop your claim for support or to pay you quickly and leave you with far too little compensation to cover your recovery costs ahead. A personal injury lawyer protects you from these tactics and works to make sure you have everything you need to recover physically and financially.
What Kind of Things Will Earn Me Compensation After a Gas Station Slip-And-Fall?
In a slip-and-fall injury settlement, you’ll be seeking compensation for every medical bill you’ve received and may receive in the future. Physical therapy may be an ongoing expense for fall victims. This includes the lifelong support made necessary if you suffer a permanent physical disability.
Your attorney would also seek full reimbursement for the wages and benefits lost while you’ve been out of work. The physical pain you endure and the emotional trauma involved with a difficult recovery can also earn compensation.
A Fresno gas station slip-and-fall lawyer can also help the family of a victim file a personal injury claim on the victim’s behalf. If a victim isn’t strong enough to help file a claim or passes away, family members can take action to secure benefits.
This chance to secure fair support for all of your damages won’t last forever. Slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall victims have two years from the date of the fall to file a claim. Waiting any longer will usually mean the case is rejected. Victims and their family members must take action as soon as possible so that an attorney can begin working on the case and gathering fresh evidence. The sooner a case is ready to file, the sooner you can hope to receive a settlement check to pay your bills.
Contact a Fresno Gas Station Slip-And-Fall Lawyer
After a slip-and-fall accident at a gas station, be sure to discuss your case with an experienced gas station slip-and-fall attorney serving Fresno victims. You should be able to focus on your recovery without stressing over the hospital bills piling up and the rent and a car payment going unpaid while you’re out of work.
Allow Martin Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law, to go to work on your case to secure the most compensation possible for your recovery. Contact Mr. Gasparian today for a free case evaluation to find out how he can help protect you and your family.
