Child & Jackson can help you through the claims process if you’ve been injured at a grocery store in Folsom. Like any other business, a grocery store’s management has an overriding responsibility to keep the property safe. When that doesn’t happen, you can get hurt in a variety of different ways. We can help you through the aftermath and make sure you get back on your feet. Set up a free consultation today.
Does a Lawyer Make Sense After a Grocery Store Accident?
After getting hurt inside a grocery store, calling a lawyer probably isn’t the first thing on your mind. Most people are focused on getting medical care, dealing with their injuries, and figuring out what happens next. The problem is when your injuries are more serious. Medical bills start piling up. You may miss work. The store or its insurance company may start asking questions about what happened. Suddenly, something that seemed simple becomes much harder to deal with.
That’s where getting a lawyer makes more sense. We can help you by:
- Looking into what happened
- Gathering important information
- Explaining your options
- Figuring out who may be responsible
- Guiding you through the claims process, whether it’s through insurance or a lawsuit
Most importantly, we try to make the process easier for you. You’ve already dealt with the injury. The last thing you need is the added stress of trying to figure everything out while you’re trying to recover.
Types of Accidents That Can Happen in Grocery Stores
Grocery stores are busy places. Employees are stocking shelves, customers are moving through aisles, deliveries are coming in, and spills or hazards can happen at any time. Most of the time, these issues are handled quickly. But when a store doesn’t fix a dangerous condition or warn customers about it, someone can end up seriously injured.
- Slip and falls or trip and falls
- Injuries from falling merchandise or other items
- Accidents with shopping carts or forklifts
- Accidents in the parking lot or common areas outside the store
- Injuries due to malfunctioning automatic doors or equipment
- Injuries that come from negligent security
These accidents can happen in just a few seconds, but the injuries can last much longer. Whether you slipped on a spill, tripped over a hazard, or were hurt by something inside or outside the store, the important thing is understanding what caused the accident and why it happened. And the best way to do that is to get as much information as you can.
Information That’s Helpful After a Grocery Store Accident
It’s true that you have options after getting hurt in a grocery store, but showing that you were injured is only part of the equation. You also need to show:
- How the accident happened
- What caused your injury
- Why someone else may have been responsible
That starts with gathering the right information. Right after your accident, you need to find someone that works there and report what happened. Once the store responds, ask for any first aid or call 911 to get an ambulance. That takes care of your health, which should always be the top priority.
But in these kinds of situations, the immediate scene is also important. So if you’re able, try to get a few basic things, like:
- Pictures and videos of where the accident happened, your injuries, and what you think might’ve caused the accident—spills, broken flooring, fallen product, etc.
- Names and contact information for anyone who saw what happened
- The name of the store employee or manager you reported the accident to
- Note any surveillance or security cameras
Again, while these things are important, they’re not more important than your health. Once things settle down, make sure to go to the ER or an urgent care to take care of any injuries before they get worse. In the days and weeks after, though, more things are going to become important to get and track, like:
- Medical records and bills
- Surveillance camera footage, which we can ask the store not to erase
- A copy of the incident report, if the store completed one
- Progress pictures of your injuries
- Notes about your pain, treatment, and how the injury is impacting you daily
- Missed work and lost income
- Any letters, emails, or calls from the store or insurance company
Obviously, one of the challenges with grocery store accidents is that the thing that caused your injury probably won’t stay around for long. A spill gets cleaned up. A broken floor gets repaired. Boxes and pallets get moved. But one way or the other, it doesn’t change what you’re left dealing with—or the store’s overall responsibility for it happening in the first place.
Who’s Responsible for a Grocery Store Injury?
One of the biggest questions after a grocery store accident is simple: Who is actually responsible for what happened? The answer usually comes down to whether the store itself:
- Knew about something potentially dangerous and didn’t do anything about it.
- Should have known something could potentially be a problem, but didn’t do what was necessary to hit it off.
With that in mind, it’s pretty easy to see that the store’s management, employees, and possibly ownership could all carry most of the responsibility when an accident happens on the property. But it’s also about the details of what actually happened. That could bring in:
- A maintenance or cleaning company. If a third-party company was responsible for cleaning or maintaining the store and something went wrong, they may share responsibility for what happened.
- A property owner or management company. In some cases, the issue may come down to who was responsible for maintaining the property and fixing unsafe conditions.
- A product manufacturer. If a defective product, display, or piece of equipment played a role in your injury, the company that made it may also be involved.
Every grocery store accident is different. A slip-and-fall from a spill is a different situation than an injury caused by a falling item, broken equipment, or a broken piece of curb in the parking lot. The important thing is figuring out what caused the accident, who knew (or should have known) about the problem, and who had a responsibility to fix it before someone got hurt. That’s how you narrow down responsibility and from there, move forward with an injury claim.
What Are My Options After a Grocery Store Accident?
It’s hard to think about, but anytime you step foot in a grocery store, something could happen that leaves you hurt. But for all the different ways accidents happen there, your options for actually filing a claim are pretty much always boils down to two options:
- Filing an insurance claim. Most grocery store injury cases begin by filing a claim with the store’s insurance company. This can sometimes resolve the situation, but insurance companies don’t always agree on what a claim is worth.
- Filing a lawsuit. If the insurance company refuses to offer a fair amount—or if your injuries are more serious—you may need to move forward with a personal injury lawsuit. It takes a bit longer, but gives you a better chance at getting fuller damages than what an insurance policy covers, like:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Current lost income or a loss of future earning potential
- Repair costs for any damaged clothing or other property
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Reduced quality of life
Every case is different, so what you’re able to recover depends on factors like how the accident happened, what evidence and information you have, and who all is responsible. It’s also important to remember that California generally gives you two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. That sounds like a lot of time, but things can change pretty fast. Your injuries heal and problems get fixed. But no matter what, our team will be there to guide you from the beginning.
Free Consultations After a Folsom Grocery Store Accident
When you get hurt because a grocery store in Folsom didn’t do what was necessary to keep you and other shoppers safe, you shouldn’t be left facing the aftermath alone. At Child & Jackson, our Folsom premises liability lawyers will be there to help you understand your options and guide you through the claims process. Set up a free consultation today to get started.