Delray Beach Retail Store Injury Lawyer
When one thinks of being injured in a retail store, one usually thinks of slip and fall accidents, but many different types of accidents are possible, and very few of them are predictable. Stores and shops are fickle places to be, given the constant volume of activity in most of them, and if you are harmed while on the premises of a retail establishment, this can sometimes make seeking compensation for your injuries seem more confusing than it actually is. If you are hurt due to someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to damages. Our Delray Beach retail store injury lawyers at Leifer & Ramirez are here to assist you.
Many Types Of Accidents
Because slip and fall accidents are so relatively common, and are painted as so dangerous, it can sometimes not sink in for people that any type of injury suffered in a store may be grounds to seek a liability finding. If you slip on something and wind up on the floor, it can be very tempting to state that no harm has been done, when in reality injuries may not show up for days or weeks afterward. For example, injuries like concussions or injuries to ligaments and other soft tissue are notorious for only presenting symptoms after hours or days have passed.
Alternatively, you may not realize that not only slip and fall accidents are potentially actionable. Being struck by a falling object, for example, or experiencing an attack by a third person (a mugging, for example) may open the store’s maintainer or owner to liability. Violence perpetrated by third persons can be especially dangerous, with any and all manner of injuries and even death possible if you encounter the wrong person. The most important thing for you to do in the wake of an accident is to seek medical treatment and to document everything possible.
Bringing Suit
If you believe that your injuries were caused by someone else’s negligence, you may bring suit to seek compensation for medical bills, and for damages like lost wages, lost quality of life, and other expenses. Depending on the type of accident, you may wish to bring suit under a theory of premises liability or negligent security. Premises liability is by far the most common cause of action for this type of suit. Under this legal theory, entrants onto the land are classified into three types – invitees, licensees, and trespassers. Business invitees (such as customers) are owed the highest duty of care, requiring a property owner to make the premises safe for them.
Slip and fall accidents tend to lead to suits in premises liability, for example – however, Florida law does establish very strict requirements that a plaintiff must meet in order to establish liability in such cases, namely that they must show the business had “actual or constructive knowledge” of any potential hazard on the floor in order to recover. Conversely, negligent security may be alleged in the event of a third-party attack (such as a mugging) on the store’s premises, and a plaintiff must show that the security in the store was insufficient to protect customers (who are business invitees, and entitled to the highest level of protection).
If You Have Been Harmed
While accidents in retail stores do happen often, sometimes the resulting injuries are serious and merit compensation. If you have been hurt, the Delray Beach retail store injury attorneys at Leifer & Ramirez are happy to sit down with you and try to help you decide the best course of action going forward. Call our offices today to set up a free consultation.
