Shopping malls are considered safe from many points of view. However, accidents can happen more often than you think. According to the lawyers at Maho Prentice, LLP, slip and fall accidents are among the most common types of accidents that occur at shopping malls, and you can sustain various injuries as a result. Below, let’s look at common causes of accidents and liability.
Taking personal injuries seriously
From shoulder injuries to hip fractures, head, neck, and back injuries, fractures, and sprains, shopping center accidents shouldn’t be taken lightly. Whether the accident was due to your own carelessness or a property owner’s negligence, you could still receive compensation.
Contacting a slip and fall accident attorney right away can help you learn more. Here are a couple of the most common shopping mall accidents, what you need to know about them, and what to do if you are injured.
Common causes of shopping mall accidents are:
1. Wet floors
Shopping malls are high-traffic areas, and they are regularly cleaned or sanitized. However, sometimes these wet floors are very slippery. This leads to many slip and fall accidents that can result in injuries of various degrees depending on how the person fell and their overall health and age.
Shopping malls must provide warning signs for slippery floors and provide a duty of care to their customers by ensuring safety on their premises. When they fail to do so, they can be held liable. Loose or torn carpets are also common causes of slip and fall accidents.
2. Uneven surfaces or broken steps
A shopping mall might have uneven surfaces, broken steps, poorly constructed staircases, loose floorboards, or damaged flooring. These issues might have been present when the shopping malls were built or occurred due to the high traffic on their premises.
Regardless of the reason, property owners always have to ensure the safety of their premises. They will be held liable for any accident caused by their failure to ensure that safety.
3. Poor lighting
Bad lighting or cluttered walkways aren’t as commonly blamed for shopping mall accidents as wet floors or uneven surfaces, Sill, they can be a significant factor in why some accidents happen.
4. Potholes in parking lots
Not all shopping mall accidents are related to slip-and-fall. Potholes in shopping malls’ parking lots can also contribute to accidents or property damage. The property owners can also be held liable for not maintaining their premises safe for driving vehicles.
Liability in shopping mall accidents
Property owners must keep and maintain their premises safe by law. If there are any hazards on their property, they must inform the public about it, but property owners aren’t the only ones who can be held liable for shopping mall accidents.
Contractors who are responsible for performing repairs or upkeep can also be held liable in accidents if they didn’t perform their job according to the accepted standards. Property management companies or tenants leasing commercial space can also be held liable.
In some situations, more than one party can be held liable for your shopping mall accident. That is why a slip and fall accident lawyer can be beneficial for establishing fault and proving negligence under the law.
A lawyer can help you receive the damages you are entitled to, including economic and non-economic damages. You can also pursue punitive damages to punish the at-fault party for negligence.
Slip and fall damages
When you have a slip and fall accident, the injuries incurred can lead to lost wages, medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and more. A lawyer can help you receive non-economic damages for your pain and suffering. Even the fact that you felt emotional distress by falling on the shopping mall premises can come under the non-economic damages section, and you may receive compensation for it.
Also, remember that you have only two years from the accident date to take legal action. If you don’t file a personal injury claim within two years of the accident, your claim might be denied, resulting in no compensation.
Establishing fault in shopping mall accidents
Establishing fault in shopping mall accidents is relatively simple. You have to prove that the other party neglected to keep their premises safe and that the accident wouldn’t have occurred if they had. They were aware of the hazard but did nothing to resolve it.
Since California is a pure comparative negligence state, even if your own carelessness resulted in the accident, you will still be compensated for your injuries. However, the compensation you will receive will be lowered based on your percentage of fault.
Dealing with a shopping center accident can be tough, especially since multiple parties might be responsible. All while you have to rest and heal and deal with the stress of not being able to work.
Contacting a slip and fall accident lawyer right might be the right step for you as they have the expertise for this type of case. A lawyer can help you determine if your claim is likely to be successful and, if so, what compensation might look like.
This post is not legal advice and is not intended to be taken as such. I am not a legal professional. This post is for information purposes only.
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