Victims who slip in the produce section of a California Walmart are empowered to seek injury support from the giant retailer. Support should be provided for all hospital bills and living expenses while victims must miss work. Settlement checks must also cover the physical pain victims must endure and the emotional trauma a serious injury can cause.
Produce Section Dangers in Walmart
Product sections in any supermarket are often damp areas with plenty of leaves and fruit ending up on the tile. Walmart tries to keep vegetables fresh with misters and spray hoses, but they can neglect to mop up extra water that reaches the floor.
These hazards are fully Walmart’s responsibility. Under California’s premises liability laws, Walmart must act to keep customers safe at all times. When they let debris sit on the floor or allow puddles to grow, they can be fully liable when someone gets hurt.
Slip-and-fall injuries happen more than you might think, especially in a busy place like Walmart.
- Water from vegetable misters beading on the floor and causing a slip-and-fall hazard
- Fruit or vegetables being mushed on the floor and causing a very slippery spot
- Hard veggies like potatoes and apples can also end up on the floor to cause tripping dangers or roll people’s feet out from under them.
- Rugs put in place to make floors less slip can roll up and curl to create trip-and-fall hazards
Walmart is responsible, but corporate owners can also fight back and try to find ways to blame the victim. They may claim that the injured patient was wearing worn shoes, and that’s why the fall occurred.
Walmart’s lawyers may also argue over a doctor’s diagnosis and claim that the injuries aren’t all that bad. Then, they have an excuse to provide far too little in compensation to cover all of the medical costs an injured victim will face. Walmart’s insurance providers don’t care, because once the victim has signed off on a “lowball” settlement offer, the victim can’t ask for any more money if medical costs arise in the future.
What to Do If You Fall in a Walmart Produce Section
After a scary fall, dial 911 if you are injured. Then, if you feel okay to move around, you should immediately start gathering evidence for your case. Your slip-and-fall lawyer will fully investigate your accident, but some of the best evidence will be found on the scene of your accident in the moments after it happens.
The hazard that sent you to the ground will probably be cleaned up or repaired not long after you leave the scene. Try to collect these details.
- Use your phone to get pictures and videos of the obstacle that caused you to fall. Show a puddle, a curled-up rug, or a produce item that tripped you.
- Alert a Walmart manager about what happened. The manager will need to fill out an incident report for their corporate files. This report may go a long way to proving your innocence and Walmart’s negligence.
- Get contact information from any witnesses.
- See your own doctor even if you have been to the emergency room. In the shock of what’s happened, you may not feel the pain of an injury until the next day. A doctor can identify hairline fractures and brain injuries. Follow your doctor’s instructions.
Speak to a lawyer soon. Once an accident occurs, California allows victims up to two years to file a claim for damages. However, it’s important not to wait months or years to explore filing an injury claim.
The longer you wait the harder it will be for your Slip-And-Fall Lawyer to investigate your case, secure documents, and track down witnesses. Your lawyer will also want to request any security footage before it is erased. You want to give your lawyer the best chance to build a strong case so you can secure money for every recovery bill.
Contact a California Slip-And-Fall Accident Lawyer
If you only suffer some minor bruising or cuts in your 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 skilled lawyer. When medical bills run higher, a lawyer can often secure you much more for your claim than you could win for yourself.
Speak with a skilled California Walmart slip-and-fall accident lawyer after any fall. It’s critical to know about every benefit available to you and your family because lawyers working for Walmart won’t be informing you about all of your options.
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.
