Most Los Angeles drivers spend a lot of time sitting in traffic, but despite often getting nowhere, they still have to fuel up at regular intervals.
Los Angeles has plenty of gas stations to keep cars running, but motorists should be aware that each pullover at the pump carries with it certain dangers.
A step on an oil spill on the pavement or walking through a puddle of spilled coffee inside can suddenly send you to the ground. You have become a Los Angeles gas station slip-and-fall victim. If you’re seriously injured, and if someone’s negligence caused your accident, you’ll likely be wondering about getting compensation for your recovery.
Schedule a Free Los Angeles Gas Station Slip-And-Fall Case Evaluation
A gas station accident that leaves you injured could force you to depend on major oil corporations and their insurance companies for support.
Don’t trust that they have your wellbeing in mind. They could provide you with just enough money for a trip to the emergency room, but stick you with the enormous costs of physical therapy and potential surgeries down the road.
Contact Maison Law of Los Angeles 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.
Los Angeles Gas Station Slip-And-Fall Dangers
Los Angeles Magazine reports that there are over 6,500 centerline miles of streets in the city. Local residents and visitors drive most every inch of that pavement every day. It’s up to the many gas stations along busy streets like Sepulveda Boulevard to fuel those trips.
The goal of any pull-in to a gas station like Shell or 76 is to get what you need and get back on the road as fast as possible. Fill up and grab a snack and go. That’s the idea, but when gas station owners and operators start to neglect their stores and the hazards that customers create, your safety is at risk.
Gas stations are usually smaller, compact places, but they present a lot of obstacles that could force you to slip or trip and suffer a major injury.
These are just a few of the hazards you could encounter at a Los Angeles gas station:
- Spills and Puddles — Some gas stations also double as coffee shops and fast food joints. A brew could end up on the floor along with a dab of mustard. You might not be looking down when you step and slide on the spill. Soap on the bathroom floors could drop you to cause a painful hip injury. Fountain drinks and ice also create slippery messes.
- The Parking Lot and Pumps – An oily residue from the constant stream of cars passing through can leave a very slick surface around the pumps. You might lose your footing and take a blow to the head from a pump or a concrete barrier. Potholes and crumbling cement are also threats to catch your foot for a gas station trip-and-fall accident. You could land directly on your knee or try to catch yourself with your hands and break a bone.
- Aisle Hazards – Some minimarts try to offer a little of everything. This variety can lead to boxes left on the floor and cluttered displays that might catch your toe. Broken tile, uneven surfaces, or even a folded-up floor mat can trip you.
- Car Wash Hazards — Water and soap from car washes can topple you when you walk into a store or as you clean your car.
- Auto Repair Shops — Mechanics work with oil and spray lubricants and these products are designed to be ultra-slick. They may end up on the cement around a garage door or be tracked into a convenience store to create a dangerous gas station slip-and-fall accident.
Los Angeles Gas Station Liability After an Accident
Under California’s premises liability laws, if you are lawfully on someone else’s property, that person or business owes you a “duty of care.” This duty covers gas station customers and means that owners and operators must ensure that visitors have a safe path in and out of the business.
Proprietors are required to fix any hazard they create and must monitor for hazards other customers create and clean them up in a reasonable amount of time. If you are hurt by an obstacle left unattended by gas station employees, the business owners and operators can be held responsible.
If you suffer an injury, you’ll simply need strong evidence that shows the gas station’s negligence was to blame for the accident.
What to Do if You Are Injured in an L.A. Gas Station Slip-And-Fall
At the moment of impact from your fall, you may be in great pain or simply in shock over what’s happened. If you can move after a fall or at least able to reach your phone, there is the opportunity to collect powerful evidence for your accident case that might not be available later.
If you are physically able, try to collect these details after a gas station accident:
- Call 911 if you are hurt. Alert paramedics to every pain you have. Go to the hospital if necessary. If you must leave, ask someone with you or a helpful witness to collect evidence for you.
- Alert a gas station manager or employee. The corporate owner will likely require an employee on the scene to create an incident report. This report can serve as evidence for your case later.
- Don’t say you weren’t injured. Even if you don’t feel any pain, don’t tell store representatives that you’re OK or accept blame for your fall.
- Snap Cellphone Pictures. Document the hazard that caused your fall before it is cleaned up or repaired. Take pics of any visible injuries. Show any caution signs or caution tape that is present or the lack of these safety measures.
- Talk to witnesses. An eyewitness may not have seen you fall, but they can attest to the presence of the safety hazard that caused your accident. Get the contact information.
- See your doctor. 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.
- Contact a Los Angeles 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 in 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.
Gas Station Accidents in Los Angeles
Maison Law has handled cases for our clients against locally-owned gas stations and taken on giant oil corporations when necessary. We secure victories and financial support for our clients who are injured and in need of urgent support.
These are just a few of the gas stations in and around Los Angeles that could be found negligent in a personal injury claim:
- Shell
- 76
- Arco
- Chevron
- We Got It!
- United Oil
Contact a Los Angeles Gas Station Slip-And-Fall Accident Lawyer
After a slip-and-fall accident, be sure to discuss your case with an experienced gas station slip-and-fall attorney serving Los Angeles 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 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a claim after a Los Angeles Gas Station Slip-And-Fall Accident?
Two years. California allows victims up to 24 months from the date of the injury to file a claim for damages. However, waiting months or years to begin your case can make it harder for your attorney to collect evidence and track down the witnesses you’ll need to prove your case.
What can I receive compensation for after a Los Angeles gas station slip-and-fall accident?
Hospital bills. Any medical costs now and those expected in the future should be covered by the gas station. You must also demand help with the income you’ve lost while unable to work. The physical pain and emotional distress suffered can earn additional compensation.
Can I receive compensation if I was partially to blame for my gas station slip-and-fall?
Yes. Liability in a gas station fall can be shared between the victim and a gas station owner. You may have not been watching where you were stepping, but a gas station proprietor would still bear fault for not fixing the hazard. You could earn partial or full compensation for an injury.
