Maison Law represents slip-and-fall accident victims across Turlock and the surrounding area, especially those that are injured in grocery stores. Our experienced Turlock slip and fall accident lawyers can help if you’ve been hurt because someone wasn’t careful at a grocery store. We’re here to give you legal advice and support. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your options.
Should You Hire a Lawyer?
The answer depends on your situation. Grocery store slip and fall accidents can vary in how serious they are. If your accident is relatively minor, you probably don’t need a lawyer. However, if your injuries are more serious, our team can help.
With our experience and knowledge, we’ve developed a track record of success in these claims. Our approach involves investigating the accident, helping you gather important evidence, determining fault, and making the overall process easier on you. We offer free consultations and work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you pay nothing upfront to work for us, and we take our fee from whatever result we get for you.
Additionally, your potential options and legal protections are the same regardless of the grocery store you’re in. That said, different grocery stores have different procedures for handling accidents. Some of the most common stores in Turlock include:
- Walmart
- Target
- Village Fresh Market
- Smart & Final
- Foodmaxx
Legal Options After a Slip and Fall at a Grocery Store
In the aftermath of a slip and fall incident in Turlock, the initial step in the legal process involves determining liability for the accident. Generally, grocery store owners and managers have to maintain a safe environment for customers, free of any hazards. This is the crux of slip-and-fall and premises liability law in California.
If the owner or manager breaches this duty, the store may be held accountable for resulting injuries, a concept known as “negligence.”
To establish liability, either you or the injured party must present evidence indicating that the grocery store:
- Knew about the danger but didn’t fix it.
- Should have known and didn’t take proper care.
Remember California’s “comparative negligence” law, which means you might share blame if you were distracted or not paying attention during the accident. Also, if you were somewhere you weren’t supposed to be or trespassing, the store’s duty of care isn’t as extensive to keep you safe. Regardless, you still have the right to file an injury claim and recover damages.
Damages
To recover damages for your injuries in a slip and fall accident, you must file an injury claim. This typically involves filing a claim with the responsible party’s insurance company, either through an insurance policy claim or a personal injury lawsuit inside the court system. Possible damages you may recover include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life or companionship
- Punitive damages, under certain circumstances
Each slip and fall case is distinct, and the outcome hinges on the specific circumstances surrounding the accident. Patience is crucial throughout the claims process, as it takes time and effort.
What You Need to Do After a Grocery Store Slip and Fall
While the legal process is fairly general, the distinctiveness of your particular case is going to depend on how the accident happened and how you respond to it. In order to respond effectively, you have to take certain actions to protect your health and legal options:
- Attend to your injuries first – Prioritize your health by seeking immediate medical attention, both at the store and later with a doctor. Keep records of all medical documents, including bills and receipts, as some injuries may not be immediately apparent.
- Report the accident – Tell a store employee or management about the accident right away. This is extremely important, because it alerts them that there’s a problem and should make them take action to fix the hazard. Also, ask that they create an incident report and ask for a copy of it.
- Gather evidence at the scene – Take photos or videos of the accident site and any hazardous conditions. Note the date and time, and obtain contact information from witnesses if available.
- Preserve evidence – Retain any damaged clothing, property, or footwear from the incident, as they could serve as evidence. Don’t repair or fix anything, as they are crucial for your case.
Obviously, these steps are very important to your claim. Our team can assist in gathering evidence and obtaining valuable items like surveillance footage, as well. This strengthens your claim, but the circumstances are also important.
How Slip and Fall Accidents Happen in Grocery Stores
It’s really not surprising that grocery stores see so many slip-and-fall type accidents. After all, not only are they usually very crowded with shoppers, but they have certain conditions and components that lend themselves to these accidents. Most of the time, these include things like:
- Slippery or wet floors, particularly in areas like the produce or refrigeration sections where spills or moisture accumulation are common.
- Poorly laid out or maintained aisleways, which may be cluttered or obstructed, making it difficult for shoppers to navigate safely.
- Loose or missing flooring materials, such as tiles or carpets, which can create tripping hazards.
- Inadequate lighting in certain areas of the store, leading to reduced visibility and increased risk of accidents.
- Lack of warning signs to alert shoppers to potential hazards like wet floors or uneven surfaces.
Although it is the responsibility of store management to fix these hazards, they can fail to do so, resulting in injuries to customers and other shoppers. Common injuries you could be facing include:
- Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) from falls onto hard surfaces or objects.
- Fractures and broken bones, particularly in the arms, wrists, or hips, as individuals instinctively reach out to brace themselves during a fall.
- Muscle strains and sprains caused by sudden twists or impacts.
- Ligament damage, such as torn ligaments in the knees or ankles, due to the force of the fall.
- Shoulder and neck injuries resulting from impacts or abrupt movements during a fall.
- Emotional trauma, including anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), stemming from the accident and its aftermath.
All of these add up for your damages in your injury claim, but it’s worth noting that you’ll likely be dealing with multiple injuries in a typical slip-and-fall. Most importantly, you have to file your claim within California’s statute of limitations, which is two years from the date of the accident to get access to these damages.
Experienced Grocery Store Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers in Turlock
Being in a slip-and-fall accident is always frustrating, but especially so at a grocery store in Turlock. Most of the time, these accidents are preventable. At Maison Law, we know how to approach these claims and can help you through the claims process. Our experienced team will be there to give you the support you need. Contact us today for a free consultation.
