Slipping and falling are common occurrences in Fort Lauderdale retail stores. Learn about slips and falls, causes, and if you sue the retail store for damages.
You might be able to seek compensation if you have been injured at a retail store in Fort Lauderdale. However, you will need the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer to prove your case.
While a visit to a retail store can be stressful, it should ordinarily be safe and without injuries. However, that may not always be the case and you could find yourself injured during your visit. A common injury at retail stores is a slip and fall. We've written this article to help you know what you can do if you have a slip and fall injury at a retail shop in Fort Lauderdale.
Knowing what could cause a Fort Lauderdale slip and fall is crucial for two main reasons. The first is that it shows you how to protect yourself and the second is that it helps you know when you have a valid slip and fall injury case. This section deals with some of the most common causes of slip and falls. However, if you are not certain that you have a legitimate case, you can speak to a personal injury lawyer to get a professional opinion.
Wet floors are a common cause of slip and fall accidents. In a retail store, this could be a result of drinks being spilled on the floor. Closely related to wet floors is a slippery floor and this could be caused by oil or any other liquid.
A poorly lit store is a safety hazard for everyone including the store owner. When a store is not well lit, it makes it difficult for people to take steps that protect them.
Dangerous conditions like cluttered walkways, unfastened cords and wires, uneven floors, and bad weather could also contribute to a slip and fall.
Not all footwear can be worn on all floors. Wearing the right footwear could prevent a slip and fall while the wrong footwear could cause an accident.
Not all slip and falls lead to injuries. However, you can still sustain severe injuries from a fall and in extreme cases, death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of five falls causes a serious injury such as a head injury or broken bones. They also report that older people are more likely to be victims of a fall. Here are some of the most common injuries:
Whether you can sue a retail store for a slip and fall depends on a few factors which we'll cover shortly. However, you can file a premises liability claim if a property owner, landlord, or store manager's negligence leads to injury.
Any business has a duty to ensure that its premises are safe. When it is discovered to be unsafe they should take steps to fix the problem or alert everyone. For a retail store, this would mean putting up a warning sign in the affected area or getting the staff to redirect people.
The most important thing in any personal injury claim is proving that a negligent party had a duty of care towards you that they failed to live up to. This is not particularly difficult to prove for a retail store as it has a duty to ensure that the premises are safe for everyone there.
For slip and falls, this is often a straightforward process but that is not always the case. Therefore, you need an experienced personal injury attorney.
Inasmuch as the property owner needs to ensure the safety of the premises, customers must take steps to protect themselves. Your personal injury case is likely to be affected if you ignored any warning signs placed in the store.
In addition, if you had some fault in your accident such as being distracted by your phone, that could reduce the damages you receive. This would mean that the comparative negligence rule is applied in your case. Under Florida's comparative negligence rule, you will only receive damages that are proportionate to the other party's fault.
Now that you know that you may be eligible for compensation if you slip and fall at a retail store, here are some damages you can expect to receive from your personal injury lawsuit.
Again, slip and falls could lead to severe injuries. This requires a visit to the hospital and in some cases, a long stay. You may be eligible to receive damages that cover the cost of your medical care and other medical bills.
Being hurt in a slip and fall does not just hurt a person's body. In some cases, people could lose time at work or be unable to do their jobs as well as they used to before the accident. So they get financial compensation for the time away from work.
If the accident you sustained leads to temporary or permanent disability, this could affect your ability to get better-paying jobs in the future and you can receive compensation for this.
If you’ve been involved in a slip and fall, you need to see a doctor to ascertain the severity of your injuries and start treatment immediately. After you have begun treatment, you can hire a lawyer to file a personal injury lawsuit on your behalf. The lawyer will know what evidence is needed to win your lawsuit or get you a good settlement. Ensure that you hire an experienced lawyer as this significantly increases your chances of success.
You'll need a lot of help if your personal injury claim is to succeed. Insurance companies are thorough and will go to great lengths to disprove your claims. Therefore, you need an experienced attorney to represent you. At VG Law Group, we have extensive experience dealing with accident claims and can help with your case. We offer a free case review to help you understand what your case is worth, so give us a call today.
