With Black Friday around the corner and the holiday season rapidly approaching, this is typically the busiest time of year for retail stores. With so many shoppers out buying gifts for their loved ones, retail store accidents might be more likely around this time. Have you been injured in a retail store accident? You might be able to file a personal injury claim. Learn about retail store accidents by reading more or speaking with a York County, PA Premises Liability Attorney today!
WHAT ARE THE COMMON CAUSES OF RETAIL STORE ACCIDENTS?
Slip-and-fall accidents are the most common cause of personal injury cases. Unsafe property conditions that can cause an accident include:
- Slippery floor without a “wet floor” sign
- Sharp or overheated objects
- Structural issues
- Hazardous stairwells
- Poor lighting
- Uncleaned debris
- Unsafe parking lots
- Holes in the ground
If you sustain an injury on someone else’s property as a direct result of an unchecked hazard, the property owner can be found liable in court.
WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER A RETAIL STORE ACCIDENT?
You should first file a report with the store owner to inform them of your accident and the hazard that caused it. If you’re planning on filing a personal injury claim, you should keep records of everything to strengthen your case. Helpful evidence includes witness statements, surveillance footage of the accident, photos of the hazard, hospital records detailing your injuries, and more.
Pennsylvania’s Statute of Limitations is two years. This means that after a personal injury, you have two years to file a personal injury claim.
WHO IS LIABLE AFTER A RETAIL STORE ACCIDENT?
Under US law, property owners who open their premises to the public have a civil duty to keep their premises safe for visitors. If they fail this duty, they could be found liable in court. After a retail store accident, you can find the store owner or staff accountable for failing to fix the issue that caused your accident. You can do this by proving negligence, which is a legal term for the failure to perform reasonable care which results in the injury of another person.
To prove negligence in a retail store accident case, you must first prove that the store owner knew or should have known about the hazardous condition. Then, you must demonstrate how the store owner or staff failed to fix the hazard, and lastly, you must show how the hazard directly caused your accident and subsequent injury. Depending on the case, the court may find the property owner and/or staff liable. If you believe you have a personal injury claim, we want to fight for you! Contact Ilkhanoff & Silverstein today for trusted legal counseling.
