Bakersfield slip-and-fall accident victims who get hurt while shopping at Target can seek support from the giant corporation. This support can help with medical bills and lost income while victims must miss valuable time at work.
Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Bakersfield offers a free, no-obligation consultation for all trip-and-fall victims in Kern County. It’s a chance to figure out what an injury should be worth and how to hold a negligent store chain fully accountable.
How Do I Know When to Call a Slip-And-Fall Attorney?
If you fall in a Target store and suffer a serious injury, like a broken bone, a back injury, or head trauma, it’s a good idea to speak to a Bakersfield slip-and-fall accident lawyer about your options.
Store owners and corporate chains are liable under California law for the safety of visitors. But if you get hurt on an aisle, Target will have corporate lawyers ready to try to pin the blame on you. A commercial liability insurance company may also downplay how badly you are hurt, so they can withhold full support as your hospital bills stack up.
Your attorney fights back on your behalf, investigating your accident and securing evidence that keeps the facts from changing. The experience of a great attorney often means you’ll get much more for your injury than if you decide to handle your claim yourself.
Target Injury Risks in Bakersfield
When local shoppers head into the Target on Mall View Road or the location on Stockdale Highway, they may be focused on getting in and getting out. They probably don’t take the time to notice the potential dangers to their wellbeing.
Puddles of spilled coffee left behind by careless shoppers may sit on the tile. It may pool below eye-level, ready to send someone’s foot out from under them. Store employees may stock the shelves and leave boxes behind, ready to cause a trip-and-fall for a guest.
These falls are more common than we realize, and can put a victim’s hips, knees, and wrists at risk of fracture. A victim’s head may strike the hard floor or the edge of a shelf to cause a loss of consciousness and even trigger seizures.
Store managers and employees are supposed to monitor for these dangers and repair or clean them up before someone gets hurt.
These are just a few of the potential accident risks at Target.
INSIDE THE STORE:
Spills and leaks create slip-and-fall hazards. They might arise in the produce section, around a milk case, or in a bathroom that needs to be mopped. M&Ms may end up on the floor to cause someone to slip. A box or an aisle display could catch someone’s foot to cause a tripping injury. A rolled-up rug could also cause a fall.
OUTSIDE OF TARGET:
Under California premises liability laws, corporations are also responsible for creating and ignoring accident risks outside the store. Potholes in parking lots must be filled before someone can step in, take a fall forward, and injure a knee. Crumbling sidewalks and access ramps must be fixed before someone tumbles over for a hard knock to the head on concrete. Landscaping hazards and debris must be controlled. When it rains in Bakersfield, Target must contain the liquid tracked into the front of the store. They must mop and put out wet floor signs until the sun is back out.
A Skilled Attorney Ready to Take on Target for You
When Target managers allow these hazards to sit, and someone gets hurt, victims are empowered to file injury claims and get help with the costs of recovery. Sadly, Target can try to dodge blame by attempting to imply a victim was just clumsy. Their lawyers can turn to corporate doctors to testify that a victim’s injuries aren’t as bad as a family physician says they are.
These are tactics that sometimes allow businesses to get away with rejecting your case or with giving you far less than you require to fully recover. An attorney with experience taking on giant corporations backs a victim’s case with strong evidence so the blame can’t be shifted. Then a skilled attorney negotiates to get victims the maximum in support for their injury hardships now, and any they may face in the years ahead.
The Support You Can Expect After a Fall at Target
The more proof you can back your case with, the sooner Target may give up its fight and accept full blame for what happened. Your attorney investigates every aspect of your case, but your attorney won’t be there at the start, in the moments after your accident.
First, contact 911 if you are hurt and need an ambulance. Then, if you are left strong enough, get some photos of the puddle or the floor damage that caused your fall. That evidence will likely be cleaned up or repaired very soon. You must also alert a Target manager about what happened and cooperate as they prepare an incident report. Also, identify any witnesses and get their contact information.
With this evidence added to your lawyer’s investigation, your attorney would then submit your claim for you. This claim would include a full list of everything you have endured since the accident and what you might require in the future.
- Support to cover all of your current medical bills, your physical therapy costs, and all medical equipment.
- Support to pay for any surgeries and the surgeon’s fees you must undergo.
- Support for a lifetime if your injuries result in a permanent disability.
- Support for the hip, knee, back, or neck pain you experience and that you may suffer with for months or years.
- Support for the emotional trauma you experience after a scary fall and a difficult recovery. This can include the loss of enjoyment of life, which you may have to cope with if you must be off your feet. You may have to give up hobbies you love and participation in family activities.
- Support to replace the job income and benefits you have to go without while you are in injury recovery.
- Support to cover the costs of travel to make doctor’s appointments and to see out-of-town specialists. An escalating cost if you are in a wheelchair or on crutches.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of documents should I bring with me when I speak to an Attorney at Maison Law Accident & Injuries Lawyers?
Bring any photos you took at the scene of your accident. Turn over copies of all medical charts and hospital receipts. Bring your paystubs too. This is a way to show how much you’ve lost in income while you haven’t been physically able to work. Bring receipts of any travel costs you’ve had while you can’t drive and while you’ve been required to attend doctors appointments.
How long can I delay filing a claim after a slip-and-fall accident?
California allows fall victims up to two years to file a personal injury claim, but waiting months or years can hurt a case. You should consult with a lawyer as soon as you can. Waiting can mean valuable evidence vanishes and witnesses become harder to track down. The sooner you file your claim, the sooner you can hopefully receive a settlement check from Target.
What if I can’t afford to pay a lawyer to represent my case?
We know that most accident victims face financial turmoil after a devastating injury. It’s why you don’t need any upfront money to hire a Bakersfield slip-and-fall accident attorney. If you need us, we sign a contingency agreement with you. It means we cover all upfront case costs. We also don’t earn anything unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the check that Target is forced to write you.
Contact a Bakersfield Trip-And-Fall Lawyer
If you have a serious injury, and a negligent store staff member contributed to your fall, contact Maison Law Accident & Injury Lawyers of Bakersfield to schedule a free consultation. It’s a confidential, no-obligation review of your case with a real slip-and-fall accident lawyer.
There are benefits available to you that Target’s lawyers hope you don’t become aware of. Find out what your case is worth from a legal professional in Bakersfield before an insurance company tells you it’s worth very little.