New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyer: What to do About Injuries at Stores and Shopping Centers?
Entering a store or shopping center means that the retailer has a duty of care which is an obligation to reasonably avoid injury to any invitee. This includes staff, delivery drivers, contractors, wholesalers, and shoppers. When an accident does occur on-site, the retailer can be held liable for their actions or lack of actions. The injured party can seek damages for medical expenses, time off of work, as well as pain and suffering. In order to obtain appropriate compensation, you will need help from a New Jersey personal injury lawyer.
Store Premises and Negligence
It is important to know what constitutes store premises. In fact, it does not only consist of the main retail space like aisles, display areas, and checkout lanes. It also encompasses dressing rooms and restrooms. The parking lot and access walkways are also part of a store’s premises. When in a shopping center that has various stores, the parking lot and other access areas are property of the greater infrastructure.
This can cause some confusion on liability which is where a New Jersey personal injury attorney comes in. Said attorney will be able to determine the liable and negligent party.
Liability is the key in most personal injury cases and finding the appropriate party is critical to your case.
Causes of Accidents
There are some common causes of store accidents such as:
- Merchandise falling
- Sharp shelving and showcasing
- Spills on the floor
- Broken handrails on stairways
- Poor lighting in the parking lot
- Dangerous elevators or escalators
- Icy or poorly maintained sidewalks
- Malfunctioning shopping carts
These are the most common causes but an accident can occur at any time for any reason. When the accident could have been prevented, the responsible party must be held liable.
A simple ‘sorry’ is not enough. Injuries can be long-lasting and require months of physical therapy and medical procedures. You may end up with mountains of medical bills with no idea how to pay for them. A New Jersey personal injury attorney will be able to obtain compensation for those medical expenses and other damages depending on the facts of the case.
What to do After an Accident
If an accident occurs at a retail store or shopping center you should first check yourself and then call for help. If possible gather any evidence related to the incident like taking pictures of the area, speaking to witnesses, etc. In most cases, employees will be alerted to the incident and will then have the store manager file an incident report.
You should always seek medical assistance after an accident. You will then need to contact a New Jersey personal injury attorney. It is important to gather all relevant documentation and present it to your New Jersey personal injury lawyer during an initial consultation.
Contact a New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have been involved in an accident at a shopping center or store, you will need the experienced team from Rossetti DeVoto, P.C. Our team has handled cases just like yours and is standing by to discuss your options. You can call our office at 856-475-6804 to schedule a consultation with our New Jersey personal injury lawyer.
