Yes. Walmart’s duty to protect customers extends into its parking lots. If a customer trips on a pothole and is injured, or slips on loose concrete, the victim has the legal right to ask Walmart for help with recovery costs.
Walmart is liable for accidents caused by its lack of care in maintaining parking lots, sidewalks, and landscaping, but it doesn’t automatically provide help to victims in pain. Walmart can call in its team of lawyers to try to pin the accident on the victim or try to find doctors who will say the injury isn’t all that bad and won’t require expensive care. Having a skilled California slip-and-fall lawyer protects you from these tactics meant to rob you of recovery support.
Parking Lot Hazards and Walmart’s Accident Liability
California Law forces all businesses that welcome guests to take responsibility for the safety of customers. Walmart is required to take action if its practices create hazards for shoppers, such as a display creating a tripping hazard on a narrow aisle.
The store must also monitor for the dangers customers may create for each other, such as dropping a juice jar on the floor and leaving a puddle and broken glass behind that might cause someone to fall.
This “duty of care” applies across all of Walmart’s property and managed areas, such as the parking lots. Visitors must watch out for these and other fall hazards as they park and enter the store.
- Oil slicks – Slipping hazards where cars have laid down oil and other substances on the parking lot surface.
- Potholes – Trip-and-fall hazards that victims step in and are sent flying forward to land on a knee or on their faces to suffer a broken nose or a permanent scar.
- Landscaping – Mulch, limbs, and landscaping equipment might be left out to cause someone to slip or trip.
- Sidewalks – Debris left to build up on sidewalks and crumbling concrete can create tripping hazards that might cause a fall and a hip fracture.
- Inside the front door – On a rainy day, customers can bring the water inside as they walk into the store. Entrances need to be mopped regularly and “wet floor” signs must be out.
When victims do fall, they should contact 911 if they are injured and get checked out by paramedics. If they are left strong enough, they should act to get photos of the obstacle that caused their injury. They should secure contact information from witnesses. They should also alert a Walmart manager so that an incident report is created and proof of what happened exists.
Compensation for Victims Injured in Walmart Parking Lot Accidents
If these and other dangers are left in the path of customers and an accident occurs, victims should be able to hand their medical bills over to Walmart and expect a settlement check that covers every invoice.
Victims should also count on reimbursement for the paychecks and benefits they may miss out on while they can’t work due to injury.
The physical pain and emotional trauma a serious injury causes should also lead to additional support for patients and their families.
Emotional support can include compensation for the depression and anxiety that can come along with a long and difficult recovery from something like a broken bone, including something like a hip fracture that leaves victims immobile and, in some cases, bedridden.
Trauma can include a loss of enjoyment of life if victims must give up certain hobbies or family activities due to a long-term injury. Walmart will try to get out of having to cover these types of damages. However, a skilled lawyer fully investigates an accident and has evidence ready if Walmart attempts to deny responsibility.
Contact a California Slip-And-Fall Accident Lawyer
If you only suffer some minor bruising and soreness after a fall, you might not need a lawyer’s help to file your claim with Walmart. But if you endure a more serious injury, it’s a good idea to go over your options with a California Walmart slip-and-fall accident lawyer.
Contact Maison Law for a free, no-obligation consultation. It’s a no-risk way to find out what your injury is worth and what you should demand from unhelpful insurance companies. And if you feel we can help you earn more for your case, you don’t need to worry about finding the money to hire a lawyer. We don’t get paid unless we earn a case victory for you. Then our fee comes out of the settlement Walmart must provide to you.
