If you slip and fall in a store, you could be seriously injured. Many people think that these accidents are minor, but they often aren’t. Striking your head on a hard surface could lead to a traumatic brain injury, for instance. A fall for an elderly person could lead to serious knee or hip injuries that may change the course of their life. These are very serious injuries and need to be addressed as such.
Part of this process involves determining who is liable for the injuries. You may allege that the store owner was liable and should be responsible for your medical bills and other costs. Here are three scenarios in which that instinct may be grounded in the law.
They created a dangerous condition
First and foremost, the store owner may have intentionally created a dangerous condition. Maybe they tried to get around building codes and didn’t put up proper railings. Maybe they simply spilled something on the floor and they didn’t clean it up when they knew that they should have because they were in a rush.
They neglected a dangerous condition
More common is when a store owner knows that a dangerous condition exists and simply neglects to change it. An example of this could be a chronic issue, like a pipe that leaks over a tile floor. Cleaning up the leak is one thing, but the pipe needs to be fixed in order to actually repair the situation and make it safe. If the store owner knew that a condition could compromise safety but didn’t address that risk, then they may be liable, even though they’re not the one who caused the pipe to leak.
They should’ve known about a dangerous condition
Finally, there are situations in which a store owner will say that they obviously didn’t know about the dangerous condition. This can be used as a defense for short-term issues. You can’t expect a store owner to know immediately when something goes wrong. But if that condition existed for a long time and the store owner certainly should’ve known about the danger, then they may still be liable for harm caused by the hazard in question.
These are just three areas to keep in mind if you’re looking for compensation for medical bills. Seeking legal guidance in the wake of a slip-and-fall scenario can allow you to benefit from more personalized feedback.