Big-box stores such as Walmart, Target, and BJ’s Wholesale Club are convenient and affordable one-stop shops. It’s understandable why they’re so popular with Massachusetts residents. Unfortunately, in such large stores, accidents are bound to happen.
If you slip and fall in a big-box store, proving negligence and seeking compensation can be daunting. The good news is that an experienced attorney can guide you through the process. Faneuf Law Group Injury Lawyers have a practice that focuses on these type of cases.
More than Just Customer Service
Big-box stores’ towering, overstocked shelves, cluttered aisles, and massive footprints are magnets for injury. In such expansive buildings, fallen merchandise and spilled liquids can go unnoticed for too long.
Retailers have a duty of care to their customers, meaning that they are responsible for ensuring their stores are reasonably safe. Box stores can be held responsible for slip and fall accidents on their premises if a customer slips on a hazard that an employee should have spotted and remedied before the incident. Poor lighting or a lack of signage (such as a missing “wet floor” sign) can also indicate negligence.
If one customer spills a drink and the person walking behind them immediately slips on it, a big-box store will likely not be held liable, since they did not have time to notice the spill, warn customers, and clean up the hazard. However, if a customer trips on merchandise that has been lying on the floor for hours in an area frequented by employees, there is a case for negligence.
How to Prove Negligence
It is impossible to prove negligence without evidence. After a slip and fall accident, document everything.
Make an incident report with the store manager before leaving the premises, if possible. Include details such as the time, date, location within the store, the hazardous conditions, and the injury you sustained.
Document the dangerous conditions, not only in the incident report, but through photos and videos.
Request security footage from the store. It’s important to do this promptly, since the request process can be complicated, and many security systems film over old footage after a period of time.
Collect contact information from anyone who witnessed the incident. They may be willing to give statements on your behalf.
Seek medical attention after the incident. Not only does this protect you from health complications, but medical records can also prove injury.
Seek Help from an Attorney
Box store slip and fall cases can be more complex than others. Corporations have expert legal teams working to minimize their liability. They might claim that you could have reasonably avoided the hazard, that you were distracted, or that they could not have reasonably resolved the situation before your injury.
Personal injury attorneys can secure evidence, calculate your losses, negotiate with insurance companies, and represent you in court if necessary. When big-box companies try to minimize your injuries or shift the blame onto you, personal injury attorneys fight back.
At the end of the day, corporations have more reasons to deny responsibility than the average person has to fight for compensation. That’s why, at Faneuf Law Group, we handle personal injury cases on a contingency-fee basis, meaning that you don’t pay a cent unless we successfully resolve your case.
Massachusetts has a short statute of limitations for slip and fall cases, so if you need help proving negligence in a big-box store accident, don’t wait. Contact Faneuf Law Group today for a free consultation.