Smart and Final grocery and supply stores have a warehouse concept. As there’s considerable self-service in these stores, employee assistance is at a bare minimum. That translates into customer safety oversights that similarly fully staffed stores see less of. One of the issues confronting businesses that operate like Smart and Final are customer injuries suffered in slip-and-falls and trip-and-falls inside of the premises. The injuries can be permanent, debilitating or even fatal. Here are some typical causes of those accidents and injuries:
- Spilled soft drinks.
- Leaky refrigeration and freezer units.
- Spilled oily substances.
- Fruit and vegetable remnants on aisle floors.
- Cleaning supplies and trash left on customer aisles.
- Product displays obstructing aisles.
Contact Maison Law After Suffering Injuries in a Fall at Smart and Final
Here at Maison Law, we’ve been successfully representing slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall injury victims for more than a decade. If you got an injury in a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall at a Los Angeles area Smart and Final, contact us for a free consultation and case evaluation as soon as you can after your accident. You might be eligible for compensation for your injuries and damages.
Common Slip-and-Fall and Trip-and-Fall Injuries
When people slip and then fall, they typically fall backward while their lead foot is in the air. When they trip and then fall, their rear foot usually comes into contact with an uneven walking surface, and they fall forward. If the victim is elderly, the chances of a severe injury increase substantially. Some common injuries suffered by victims of these types of accidents follow:
- Traumatic brain injuries and skull fractures.
- Spinal cord injuries and neck fractures.
- Facial fractures, lacerations and dental injuries.
- Shoulder, elbow, arm and wrist fractures.
- Cartilage damage to shoulders and knees.
What to Do After Falling at Smart and Final
Whether it’s an employee or a customer, somebody needs to summon the store’s manager for you. While you’re waiting, try to get some photos of where you fell and what caused you to fall. The manager will likely want a written report, so ask for a copy of it before you leave. Don’t be apprehensive about asking to have paramedics come to the scene. They can stabilize you and get you to an emergency room to be examined and treated.
The paramedics will compile their own report as will emergency room personnel. These reports will be pivotal in establishing how and where you were injured. If there were witnesses who remained at the scene, don’t be afraid to ask them for their contact information. Then, contact us at Maison Law for that free consultation and case review. If an insurance adjuster contacts you in the interim, politely refuse to give any type of a written or recorded statement. California law doesn’t require you to do that.
Damages
If you’re able to prove your case by a preponderance of the evidence, you’ll become eligible for damages. A preponderance of the evidence merely means that your version of the facts and evidence in your case is more likely true than not true. Here is a summary of the damages that California allows in personal injury cases:
- Past and future medical bills related to your fall.
- Lost earnings or diminished earning loss.
- Pain and suffering
- Any permanent disfigurement or disability.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
- Out-of-pocket expenses.
- Other valuable damages in the event of a wrongful death.
You only have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit from the date of your accident. Note that an insurance claim isn’t a lawsuit. It’s highly likely that any lawsuit that you file later than two years after your fall will be dismissed. That’s why you want to contact and retain us here at Maison Law as soon as possible after your slip-and-fall or trip-and fall. Preserve and protect your rights by doing that, and our goal will be to obtain the highest settlement or award that you deserve.
Contact a Los Angeles Smart and Final Accident Lawyer
A small, locally-owned supermarket or a national chain will likely have lawyers at the ready after any accident in their stores. You should not face off against lawyers or insurance companies without a legal representative on your side.
Let an experienced Los Angeles Slip-And-Fall Attorney handle all communication with opposing lawyers and insurance agents to make sure you don’t forfeit your chance to get what’s fair for what you’ve been put through.
Contact attorney Martin Gasparian for a free and confidential case evaluation. Mr. Gasparian works with victims to make sure they aren’t unfairly blamed for the negligence of a supermarket or any other business.
