Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Fremont represents slip-and-fall accident victims at any one of the city’s Walmart stores. Each Walmart is responsible for keeping you safe while you’re there, but accidents can still happen. If you’re injured, we’re here to help you. Contact us today to set up a free consultation and discuss your options.
Should You Hire a Lawyer?
A slip and fall accident at Walmart is similar to any other accident in Fremont, legally speaking. You have the right to file an injury claim after being injured at Walmart, but whether you need a lawyer depends on your situation. For minor accidents and injuries, you may not need legal representation.
However, slip and fall cases at Walmart can be complex. The more severe your injuries or the more complicated the situation, the more we can assist you. Typically, we handle these cases by:
- Explaining your rights and options
- Investigating the accident and determining liability
- Gathering evidence
- Negotiating with Walmart and its insurance company
Our goal is to make the process as easy as possible for you. Dealing with an injury is challenging on its own, and managing the legal process can be overwhelming. Additionally, we work on a contingency-fee basis, so you won’t have to pay anything upfront to work with us.
Is Walmart Responsible?
One of the first things you’ll need to figure out is what caused the slip-and-fall and whether or not Walmart is responsible. Generally speaking, Walmart–specifically its employees and management–have an overarching responsibility to keep you and other shoppers safe while you’re there.
Unfortunately, several factors can lead to a slip and fall accident at Walmart. While some of these factors are beyond anyone’s control and occur unexpectedly, what can lead to potential legal action is when Walmart or someone at the store fails in their duty to ensure your safety, resulting in the accident and your injuries.
Legally, this failure is termed “negligence” and determines liability–the legal responsibility to cover your injuries and other damages. Specifically regarding slip and fall accidents at Walmart, they happen because of:
- Not enough light in store areas
- Being too slow in cleaning up spills or wet floors
- Not fixing broken pavement or tiles
- Aisles not cleared quickly
- Poor upkeep of shopping carts or certain store areas
- Not enough staff for supervision
There are other factors to consider as well. For example, if you’re in an area where you’re not supposed to be, such as an employee-only section, Walmart’s responsibility is reduced. However, if you slip on a wet floor that Walmart knew about but didn’t address, they are likely responsible.
Aside from that, there’s other potentially liable parties, depending on what actually happened. Usually, this includes:
- Walmart employees
- Other shoppers
- Product manufacturers
- Maintenance crews
- Security people
Injuries
The circumstances that led up to your slip-and-fall is very important, but by far the most consequential thing that can happen in these accidents are potential injuries. Even if you’re careful, slipping and falling at Walmart can happen. Your injuries are the first concern, which could include:
- Broken bones
- Torn ligaments
- Muscle sprains
- Head injuries
- Neck injuries
- Bruises
What Are Your Damages in a Slip-and-Fall Accident?
Any slip-and-fall accident is going to cause some form of damage. Whether it’s the above injuries or other losses, you’re looking at a significant change to how you live your life. Worse, these changes can last a long time. California law tries to take this into account, and that’s why liability is so important–it decides who has to pay for your losses.
In terms of your options, your injury claim will involve filing either an insurance claim or lawsuit, but both allow you to recover these damages. In a successful claim, this could help you get financial support for your:
- Costs for medical care
- Income or earnings lost
- Physical pain and mental anguish
- Damage to belongings
- Emotional issues stemming from your injuries
- Loss of joy in life or companionship
Your damages are going to be unique to your case, but it’s up to you to both show the extent of them and put together a strong claim. We can help you do this, but it’s important for you to do a few things also so that you can show the extent of your damages.
How to Strengthen Your Slip and Fall Claim
While you may not anticipate a slip and fall at Walmart, these incidents occur frequently. Therefore, it’s crucial to strengthen your potential claim. Here are some steps you can take:
- Get help – If you’re injured, get help right away. Ask a Walmart employee for aid or visit the emergency room or urgent care if necessary.
- Report what happened – At the same time, tell a Walmart employee or manager about the accident as soon as possible. Make sure they document all details, and request a copy for your records. Once they’re aware of the issue, it’s on them to take action.
- Collect information and evidence – If possible, take photos or videos of the accident scene, including any hazards and your injuries. This evidence will be valuable later on.
- Speak with witnesses – Get the names and contact information of any witnesses who saw what happened. Their recounting of events could support your claim.
- Preserve evidence – Retain the clothing and shoes you wore during the incident, as they may serve as evidence. Avoid repairing or replacing any damaged items, such as your phone or eyeglasses.
- Document your damages – Take photos of your injuries as they heal and keep track of any pain experienced. Maintain records of all medical documents and bills, while also being careful about talking about the accident (especially on social media.)
With all of its locations and prices, Walmart is a very convenient place to shop in Fremont. But this convenience goes away if you’re hurt in a slip-and-fall accident. In this situation, you can turn to our team of slip-and-fall accident lawyers for help.
Experienced Fremont Walmart Slip-and-Fall Accident Lawyers
Getting injured at Walmart can cause long-lasting physical and emotional pain for you and your loved ones. At Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Fremont, our aim is to help you through the legal process, putting together a strong claim from a slip-and-fall accident at Walmart. Contact us today for a free consultation to get started.