How to Prove Negligence in a Grocery Store Slip-and-Fall
Every year, thousands of people slip and fall in California grocery stores. These falls can lead to a range of serious injuries, including sprains, strains, brain damage, hip fractures, contusions, and much more. Some falls even prove fatal. If you are recovering from a fall in a Riverside grocery store, you may be convinced that your accident was due to negligence. How exactly do you prove that grocery store staff contributed to your fall?
Is There Any Surveillance Footage?
First, you might want to ask yourself whether there is any surveillance footage. This may prove to be very effective evidence in a slip-and-fall case, as it can help establish numerous facts. First, the surveillance footage can establish where and how the fall occurred. Perhaps most crucially, this footage can establish how long the spill or debris sat on the floor without being cleaned away. A grocery store is legally obligated to hand over any relevant evidence during the discovery phase of the lawsuit – and this includes surveillance footage.
What is the Store Policy?
Your California slip and fall attorneys may also want to investigate the store’s policies. Do they have any rules regarding spills or debris? How quickly do they instruct staff members to clean away walking hazards? How do they teach staff members to clean floors? Did the store violate any of its own policies prior to your accident? These are important questions that your slip-and-fall lawyer can investigate further.
How Long Did the Spill Lie on the Floor?
The amount of time the spill went uncleaned may be crucial. If the spill sat on the floor for an excessive period of time, this may constitute clear negligence. A judge may see this elapsed time and have little sympathy for the grocery store. After all, a reasonable grocery store should have addressed spills within a certain period of time.
Were Staff Members Aware of the Hazard?
Finally, you need to determine whether staff members were even aware of the spill. The concept of awareness often becomes important in the context of a slip-and-fall case. If the staff were never aware of the spill, they may claim that they could not have possibly cleaned it away. However, you could counter by arguing that a reasonable person should have been aware of the spill.
Find an Experienced Slip-and-Fall Lawyer in Riverside
If you have been searching for an experienced slip-and-fall attorney in Riverside, look no further than the Knez Law Group. With our assistance, you can strive for optimal outcomes after your accident. We know that grocery stores often endanger shoppers with all kinds of spills, debris, and other hazards. With our help, you can prove negligence and access the compensation you need to pay for medical treatments. Call us at 951-742-7681 or book a consultation to get started today.
For over forty-three years, Fred Knez has been representing individuals and corporations in serious personal injury and business litigation, both as a plaintiff and defendant. Following his service in the Army during the Vietnam War as a medic and medical laboratory technician, Fred attended the University of Colorado. He then worked as an insurance adjuster for Allstate Insurance and as a private investigator before graduating from law school. Fred was admitted to practice law in California in 1980, the U.S. District Court in 1981, the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in 1983, and the U.S. Supreme Court in 1984. Learn more here.