A trip to a California supermarket should be about finding some good deals on the products you and your family need for the week. You probably won’t consider the hazards that lurk along the aisles of places like Ralph’s or Safeway until you find yourself on the hard floor and in pain.
A puddle on the tile or a piece of candy rolling on the floor can take your feet out from under you and send you down for a slip-and-fall accident. Grocery stores are usually fully accountable when customers are hurt on their property.
But even if a proprietor or owner admits fault, you may wonder just how much your insurance claim can earn you while you are off your feet in recovery.
Set Up a Free Consultation with a California Grocery Store Slip-And-Fall Lawyer
After taking a dangerous fall at a local grocery store, California attorney Martin Gasparian wants to hear how your recovery is going and what you’ve been through. Mr. Gasparian offers a free slip-and-fall case consultation to all victims and their family members.
Contact Maison Law to set up a no-obligation appointment and get a better idea of what your case is potentially worth. You’ll also find out how to handle insurance representatives who will be calling you trying to trick you into accepting a settlement that’s less than fair for what you’ve endured.
Supermarket Slip-And-Fall Dangers in California
The surprising dangers you may encounter on a shopping trip begin in the parking lot. Grocery stores are legally required to show customers a duty of care across their entire stores and even outside. When potholes appear and cracked steps or sidewalks aren’t fixed, you could easily be the victim of a trip-and-fall accident. A knee injury, head trauma, or a broken nose might be the result.
Inside a store like Whole Foods, any rainwater tracked in must be mopped up and clearly marked with a “wet floor” caution sign. Any spills or messes that other customers leave behind must be monitored for and cleaned up before you are the victim of a slip-and-fall injury.
A slip often sends people falling sideways or backward and hip fractures, and hand and wrist damage are all potential outcomes. Victims also suffer powerful blows to the head. Traumatic brain injuries rob victims of their memory and their control over bodily functions.
Calculating Potential Settlements for Grocery Store Slip-And-Fall Accident Claims
Unfortunately, no two grocery store slip-and-fall cases are the same. It’s very difficult to put a price on your claim until a skilled personal injury lawyer is able to go over the circumstances of your case with you. Once your attorney has conducted a full investigation into the store’s negligence, it’ll be easier to know what you should expect.
There are several factors that go a long way in deciding the level of support you and your family will receive after a fall at a place of business.
These are just a few of the contributing details that your personal injury lawyer will be examining:
- The length of your recovery is key to how much you’ll receive. A permanent disability must factor in a lifetime of care. How long you stay in a hospital and how much of your treatment is on an outpatient basis will also factor into your grocery store accident settlement amounts.
- The cost of your care to this point and the care that may be needed in the future. Keep in mind that treatment for a broken arm or leg may cost $2,000 or more. When surgery is necessary, that cost can jump to around $20,000 or more. A broken nose might cost between $5,000 and $10,000 if you want it to look as it once was. Knee replacement or a hip replacement will run you between $20,000 and $70,000.
- Physical pain and emotional trauma. These non-economic factors can greatly increase the amount of a settlement check from an insurance company.
- Your lost time at work. If you miss weeks or months at work your lost paychecks will have a real impact on your ability to pay your monthly bills like the rent and a car payment. You’ll likely have no chance to pay towards your medical bills when you aren’t working.
- The limits of the grocery chain’s insurance coverage. Locally owned shops may have lower insurance limits. Supermarket chains and big-box stores like Walmart and Target will have higher caps. These limits are important because when they are reached, the remaining bills come out of your pocket.
- The skill of your personal injury lawyer. This, surprisingly, plays a big part in the success of your case. Large supermarket chains will have teams of lawyers all trying to disprove your case. When you have a California Slip-and-Fall Lawyer on your side with experience taking on big corporations, your case is in good hands. You won’t be susceptible to lowball settlement offers that leave you far short of what you need to rebuild your life.
Using a Slip-And-Fall Personal Injury Settlement Calculator
A personal injury calculator is a fast way to get a rough estimate of what your case may be worth. It allows you to enter some of the known factors in your case and some estimates you come up with to see an unofficial appraisal of your claim.
You can try out Maison Law’s personal injury calculator here. This calculator is not intended to provide legal advice. The best use of this calculator and others is to encourage you to explore the options you have with a legal professional.
The only way to tell how much your personal injury case may really be worth is to talk to a lawyer with extensive experience in personal injury claims. Taking advantage of a free case consultation with a real California personal injury lawyer is a great, no-risk way to determine how much support you should expect.
Deadline to File Personal Injury Claims in California
You have two years from the day of your slip-and-fall injury to file a personal injury claim. One thing’s for sure, if you wait beyond this date, your personal injury settlement amount will be zero. Your case will be rejected if filed after two years unless there are extenuating circumstances.
You should bring your case to a skilled California Grocery Store Slip-And-Fall Lawyer as soon as possible. You’ll want to give your attorney the biggest headstart you can on collecting evidence and keeping track of valuable witnesses.
Contact a California Attorney Serving Grocery Store Slip-And-Fall Victims
If you or a loved one are hurt in a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accident at a California supermarket, don’t count on insurance adjusters to automatically provide the help you need. You’ll need to hold them accountable at every turn after you file a claim for damages.
Having an experienced California Slip-And-Fall Lawyer such as Martin Gasparian on your team safeguards your case and helps you earn the maximum compensation available. Contact Mr. Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law, for a no-obligation consultation that comes with no charge to you.
Mr. Gasparian firmly believes that every victim should be protected from the tricks used by the insurance industry. As you heal you should be focused on your recovery and not be left to worry about financial concerns.
