Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Modesto support injured grocery store slip-and-fall victims in Modesto. If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip-and-fall accident, our experienced Modesto Slip-and-Fall Attorneys can help you get the compensation you need.
For a free, confidential consultation of the incident, contact Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Modesto.
Do I Need a Lawyer for a Grocery Store Slip and Fall in Modesto?
Yes, it is recommended to consult with an attorney after suffering a slip and fall injury in a grocery store. Typically, slip and fall accidents are a result of a grocery store premises liability such as a wet floor, uneven tiles, or hazards in common walking spaces.
After a slip-and-fall injury, most victims will be offered a quick settlement by the grocery store’s insurance company. But what most victims don’t understand is that an initial settlement offer is usually extremely low and fails to cover the full scope of your damages. A Slip-and-Fall Lawyer will hold the insurance company liable for the full extent of your damages, which include:
- Present and future medical expenses
- Loss of income, as well as the reduction in your earning capacity you’ve suffered from your injuries
- Cost of living with your injury, such as making your home disability accessible, purchasing a wheelchair or crutches, hiring a nurse or housekeeper
- Damage done to your property during the accident
- Pain and suffering caused by your injuries
- Stress and anxiety due to the nature of your accident
- Your mental state after a life-changing accident
If your injuries have caused you to get medical treatment or miss time at work then it is essential to consult with an attorney to protect your right to compensation.
What Should I Do After a Grocery Store Slip-and-Fall Injury?
If you are injured due to a hazardous condition at a grocery store, seek medical attention immediately. Nothing is more important than your health. After you get medical care, it is recommended to:
- Report the injury to management. Premises liabilities that cause slip-and-fall injuries require a prompt investigation, especially if they occur on property owned by a corporation. Reporting the injury will also help your case if you decide to file a claim.
- Take your own photos of the scene and get witness statements. Hazardous conditions can be removed or remedied very quickly to prevent more accidents, so it is important for you to capture the dangerous environment while it is still there.
- Follow up on your injuries with a doctor. Any injuries you’ve sustained from your accident will become a part of your case and you will need a doctor to corroborate your injuries.
- Contact Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Modesto to protect your rights to compensation. Most accident victims find themselves overwhelmed by the incident and fail to realize the enormous impact a serious injury can have on their lives. Our experienced attorneys can help you understand your legal options and get you the compensation you need to make a full recovery.
Proving Fault in a Grocery Store Slip-and-Fall Accident
A lawsuit concerning a slip-and-fall injury is typically filed under premise liability. This liability is covered under California’s Civil Code 1714(a), which states:
“Everyone is responsible, not only for the result of his or her willful acts but also for an injury occasioned to another by his or her want of ordinary care or skill in the management of his or her property or person, except so far as the latter has, willfully or by want of ordinary car, brought the injury upon himself or herself.”
If you decide to take legal action and file a lawsuit, your case will need to prove a person or business:
- Created a dangerous condition to exist on its property, or allowed one to manifest
- Knew about a dangerous condition but did nothing to fix or remove it
- Reasonably should have known the hazardous condition existed and did nothing about it
Next, you will need to show that:
- Your injuries were due to the dangerous condition
- You suffered harm that can be verified by a doctor or hospital
If all of these things can be proven, then you will likely reach a successful settlement for your slip-and-fall claim.
What Influences Settlement Value in a Grocery Store Slip-and-Fall Accident in Modesto?
You may consider pursuing a personal injury lawsuit if you were injured in a grocery store slip-and-fall accident. Before filing, it is important to understand several factors that may influence the value of your settlement. These include:
- Liability: the degree to which the defendant is found responsible for the injury can add value to your settlement. The more reckless the defendant’s actions, the higher the settlement.
- Insurance coverage: the grocery store’s insurance policy limits can cap the maximum settlement amount. If they have an insufficient insurance policy, then alternate means of compensation will have to be pursued. However, the majority of grocery stores have extensive insurance policies to cover accidents on their property.
- Legal representation: the expertise and negotiation skills of a Slip-and-Fall Lawyer will impact the outcome of your case.
- Contributory negligence: California is a pure comparative negligence state, meaning both the plaintiff and defendant can be found at fault. If you’re found at partial fault, then your settlement will be reduced accordingly.
- Nature and extent of Injury: the cost of all reasonably necessary medical treatment and the estimated cost of future medical treatment are essential to the value of a case.
- Objective findings for physical pain: pain is a subjective thing, so, objective evidence is needed to support it in a personal injury case. This is usually presented in the form of X-rays and MRIs.
How Much is a Grocery Store Slip-and-Fall Accident in Modesto Worth?
The severity of your injuries will account for a majority of your overall compensation if you have a slip-and-fall claim against a grocery store. While there are other determining factors, the following personal injury classifications can give you a rough estimate of what your case is worth.
- Minor injuries: Approximately $1,500 – $15,000 – minor injuries are considered sprains, strains, and minor cuts and bruises.
- Moderate injuries: Approximately: $15,000 – $100,000 – moderate injuries are considered fractures, herniated discs, and torn ligaments.
- Severe injuries: Approximately $100,000 – $1,000,000+ – paralysis and death can quickly exceed settlement amounts of around $1,000,000 or more.
It is important to remember that these numbers are estimates and not guarantees. A Slip-and-Fall Attorney will help you navigate the legal process, gather evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, and advocate for your rights to ultimately determine the best course of action to pursue fair and just compensation.
FAQs
Q: How does “duty of care” apply to a slip-and-fall accident?
A: Property owners must exercise a “duty of care” to take reasonable steps to maintain their property, discover potential hazards, and warn visitors of foreseeable hazards that exist.
Q: How many slip-and-fall cases end up going to trial?
A: Very few slip-and-fall cases go to trial. If there is an unwillingness to settle, then you will go to trial. However, many cases will end up settling out of court.
Q: What’s the deadline for filing a slip-and-fall claim in California?
A: 2 years from the date of your accident.
Q: Do I have to go to court to receive compensation?
A: No, you do not have to go to court to receive compensation. Most personal injury lawsuits settle out of court, in which case your attorney will collect your compensation from the insurance company and give it to you.
Contact a Modesto Slip-And-Fall Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured due to the carelessness of a person or a hazardous condition in Modesto, the Modesto Slip-and-Fall attorneys will help you recover full compensation for your damages. Navigating the legal complexities of personal injury law can be a nightmare when going up a corporation, but our firm has years of experience handling corporate giants and achieving successful settlements for our clients.
Contact Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Modesto today for a free consultation and case evaluation. There is no charge for our services and you will not be charged a cent until we’ve won your case.