Rhode Island Accident Lawyer Blog
Slip and fall accidents in the U.S. are a top driver of personal injury claims. A slip, trip, or fall may unexpectedly occur to anyone, anywhere. It may happen at your favorite corner store you’ve been visiting for years to buy snacks, or it can happen in the brand-new big box store that opened down the road. Regardless of how it occurred, if you are injured in a slip and fall accident in a store, it’s essential to speak with an experienced slip and fall lawyer in Providence, Rhode Island to be aware of your legal rights and know what steps you should take. With over two decades of success winning compensation for clients throughout RI and MA, Attorney David Tapalian will explain how to proceed following a slip and fall accident in a store, including:
- Your legal rights as a victim.
- Proving negligence to claim compensation.
- Steps to take if you sustain injuries from a slip, trip, or fall accident at a store.
What Is a Slip and Fall Accident?
Slip and fall accidents occur frequently and take place when a person experiences a slip, trip, or fall, caused by a contributing factor or condition, that results in injury. Common causes of these injuries in stores are uneven surfaces, wet or slippery floors, cluttered walkways, broken steps, or poor lighting. Something as simple as a doormat with worn out, curled up edges at the entrance to a grocery store, can easily cause a customer entering the premises to trip on the edge of the mat and fall. These types of falls can end up causing severe injuries, from simple sprains to broken bones and spinal cord problems. Falls can be especially detrimental to certain populations, including the elderly. When a person is hurt in Rhode Island as a result of negligence, such as a store owner failing to maintain proper care of their premises and allowing a potential hazard like a worn-out mat, the injured person may be eligible to file a personal injury claim to hold the store liable for their reckless actions. As a Rhode Island slip and fall attorney, David Tapalian has helped clients injured in Providence and throughout RI and MA, hold negligent store owners responsible for their negligence. Property owners, including store owners, are responsible for maintaining safe premises for their patrons and a failure to do so that results in an injury can prove costly.
Legal Rights in A Store Slip and Fall Accident
You may be eligible to file a personal injury claim against the property management or store owner for damages incurred if you suffered a slip and fall accident in a store as a direct result of the owner’s negligence. Examples of negligence include not providing adequate, visible warnings of potential hazards and failing to maintain a safe shopping experience. Store owners, or premises owners including national chains, have a legal duty to maintain a safe shopping environment and keep their customers safe while they’re on the property. This duty of care is known as premises liability. If a customer suffers an injury directly as the result of a hazardous condition on the premises of the store, a slip and fall lawyer may file a claim on their behalf to hold the property owner liable for the injuries and damages incurred.
Avoiding Personal Injury Cases as A Business Owner
Store owners must take appropriate measures to ensure their property conditions are safely maintained to avoid dangerous accidents, and potentially expensive personal injury claims. Common preventative measure may include regularly inspecting the premises for potential hazards, providing adequate lighting, and putting up easily visible warning signs where slip and fall incidents could potentially occur, such as a floor transition. If an incident unexpectedly occurs, such as a spill, the property owner must effectively manage the situation right away.
For example, if a glass container breaks and spills in a grocery store aisle while a clerk is unloading a delivery, the clerk should stay with the spill to ensure that customers are aware of the danger and keep their distance and call another worker to bring over the mop to clean up. Once the spill is cleaned and the floor is washed, the worker should place a clearly visible “wet floor” sign to alert customers to a potentially dangerous slippery floor until the area is deemed safe.
If you’ve been involved in a slip and fall incident in a store in Providence or elsewhere in Rhode Island or Massachusetts, it’s critical to report the incident to the manager right away and immediately speak with a slip and fall injury attorney to protect your legal rights and determine your eligibility to file a personal injury claim to seek compensation for your damages.
Establishing An Injury Claim
The injured customer must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the store owner did not exercise reasonable care in maintaining the property, leading to the harmful condition. They must then prove that the condition was what directly resulted in their injuries. An experienced slip and fall injury lawyer will do this by gathering evidence related to the incident including medical reports and bills, witness statements, photos, store surveillance videos, and more. of the scene, etc. which is where an attorney can help.
Contact Tapalian Law Today
Accidents happen unexpectedly, even to the most cautious people. If your accident was the result of the negligence of a store owner who failed their duty of care, you may be entitled to compensation. If you were injured in a slip and fall accident, call Tapalian Law at 401-552-5000, or contact us online to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney today for free.