WinCo Foods is a supermarket chain that does things differently. Fresno shoppers flock to this warehouse store that features great deals on grocery items and bulk goods.
It’s WinCo policy that they don’t accept credit cards, but when you pay with cash or a debit card, you should receive more than just the right to make a purchase. WinCo must also provide a safe environment for you to park and shop in.
When a hazard on WinCo property ends up sending you into a slip-and-fall accident and you are injured, the company owners are liable for your recovery. You’ll have to work to show WinCo’s fault in your accident, but you can receive reimbursement for your medical care and a lot more.
WinCo Slip-And-Fall Accident Dangers and Liability
WinCo has several convenient locations in our area. They include stores on Shaw Avenue and Peach Avenue. Clovis also has a location on Ashlan Avenue.
When you step through those sliding doors, WinCo owners and operators aren’t just responsible for taking your money. Legally, they are required to provide visitors with a safe shopping journey from the parking lot to the back aisle.
Messes must be cleaned up in a reasonable amount of time and hazards should be repaired promptly. When spilled milk isn’t mopped up or a crumbling sidewalk isn’t repaired and someone gets hurt, WinCo Foods may be held financially responsible.
This means you can seek compensation by filing a claim for damages against the company’s insurance provider. WinCo is a large grocery chain that spans several states. Unfortunately, that means they’ll have access to company lawyers who will be working to point the finger of blame somewhere other than at the store.
Common Injuries in a Slip-And-Fall Accident at WinCo in Fresno
The cost of medical care after a fall at a grocery store is a key point of any insurance claim simply because the injuries can be so severe.
For example, a slip-and-fall in the produce section on a dropped piece of fruit leaves victims at risk of taking a blow to the head. The head can strike a shelf, a shopping cart, or smack hard on the floor. Traumatic brain injuries are common and the effects can be short or long-term. Memories are often lost after a serious injury.
Slip-and-falls usually send victims backward or sideways and that also leaves victims at risk of hip injuries. A hip injury might not heal completely until a year has passed. It’s also possible that while patients are off their feet they endure other related health issues.
In trip-and-fall accidents, victims are generally sent lunging forward. This can occur when people’s feet catch on folded up rugs, catch boxes left in aisles, or step into potholes.
These are some of the most common injuries treated after a trip-and-fall:
- Arm Injuries – Victims instinctively throw their hands out in front of them. That leaves the entire arm at risk of a broken bone. Fingers and wrists may experience sprains and fracture. These injuries can keep people out of work for weeks.
- Knee Impacts – This is another impact point as people are sent tumbling forward. After a fall on the knee, the bone may no longer bear weight and may stop bending altogether. Surgery or even replacement or double replacement could be required.
- Facial Fractures – Victims could miss catching themselves and end up taking the impact fully on the face. The nose, cheekbones, and jawbones are vulnerable.
- Mouth Injury – A collision with a hard floor leaves teeth loose, broken, or knocked out completely. Eating may be difficult until the teeth can be reinserted or replaced.
Insurance Tactics After a Slip-And-Fall Accident at a Grocery Store
Dealing with the lawyers and insurance representatives for a company like WinCo will leave you vulnerable to their tactics designed to limit the support you receive.
Your personal injury lawyer will easily recognize these strategies and fight back immediately. But if you don’t have a legal representative safeguarding your case, it’s important to watch out for these common practices:
- Denying Fault – If WinCo can get you to accept blame for your fall, they can often escape without paying one cent towards your medical recovery. Corporate lawyers may claim you weren’t looking where you were going when you fell. They might even say your shoes were worn and that’s why you fell.
- Delaying Response – Once they exhaust their flimsy accusations, insurance adjusters may just stop responding to you at all. This is as you receive more and more hospital bills and miss more and more paychecks at work. The plan is to get you feeling desperate.
- Extending a Lowball Offer – Once you feel the pressure of bill collectors, insurance companies like to extend a settlement offer to you. If they feel they can get away with it, that offer will be far less than what you need to pay your bills and rebuild your life. Sadly, when you’re behind on monthly bills like a car payment, you may feel pressure to accept the first offer you see.
Compensation Available to Slip-And-Fall Victims
California extends the statute of limitations on slip-and-fall injury claims to two years from the date of the accident. You must file a claim within this time or the grocery store will be free and clear and not have to provide any money for your recovery.
Your Fresno Slip-And-Fall Lawyer will help you file your claim and seek compensation for every hardship you’ve endured. You should receive money to pay every medical bill you’ve built up. The time you’ve been out of work due to your injury must be compensated. Insurance settlements must also consider the physical and emotional suffering endured throughout this difficult period.
Contact a Fresno Grocery Store Slip-And-Fall Lawyer
Victims hurt during a visit to a WinCo grocery store should bring their case to a Fresno Slip-And-Fall Lawyer as soon as possible. There are benefits available to you and your family that an insurance company won’t be telling you about.
Schedule a no-risk and free consultation with a skilled attorney to find out what your injury is worth. Thousands of dollars are forfeited by accident victims each year because they let insurance companies decide what they should receive. Maison Law has a long history of recovering the maximum in compensation for victims and their families trying to rebuild their lives.
