Businesses like Food Lion have a duty to keep their customers safe from harm inside their premises. One way is by preventing slipping or tripping as much as they reasonably can, such as putting up warnings on wet floors or hazardous staircases. If they neglect to do so, the store could be liable for any slip and fall accidents. You could file a case against them to recover the cost of treating your injuries.
Food Lion is a grocery store chain that has been around since the 1960s with over a thousand branches in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern areas of the United States. It is perfectly understandable to feel intimidated by the idea of suing such a large and powerful corporate entity. Fortunately, an injury lawyer for slip and fall accidents at Food Lion can guide you on taking legal action against them. You may call the office of Ben Crump Law, PLLC at (855) 933-4005 if you have any concerns about your accident.
Find Assistance from a Slip and Fall Injury Attorney
An injury attorney that handles slip and fall cases will know how to handle the legal processes involved in your Food Lion accident. They can advise you on whether to file a claim or lawsuit. They will also be familiar with your state’s injury and negligence laws and help you understand any statutes you struggle with. Should your case go to court, they can also speak on your behalf to help present your arguments and evidence more persuasively. They can also help you negotiate with Food Lion’s legal representatives if you decide to enter into a private settlement first.
Gather Evidence and Records of Expenses
The slip and fall lawyer can help you search for more evidence to determine if Food Lion is indeed at fault for your injuries. For instance, they can assist you in procuring the surveillance camera footage showing the accident. They may also search for other people who witnessed the incident and secure their testimonies.
Keeping track of all your injury-related expenses can help in calculating your damages more accurately. The attorney can assist in compiling documents such as hospital bills and prescription drug receipts.
Follow the Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations, or your time limit for filing cases, is perhaps one of the most crucial requirements you need to comply with. The court will dismiss your suit if you miss the due date. The deadlines can vary per state. If you had your slip and fall in a Food Lion in Georgia, you generally have two years to present your case. If it occurred in a Kentucky store, you only have a year to do so.
Having an injury lawyer for slip and fall accidents at Food Lion work with you can help ensure that you file your case in time. They can determine your exact deadline and continue working on your suit if you do not have time.
If you have any aspects of your case that you struggle with, you can always call the office of Ben Crump Law, PLLC for assistance.
Laws That Could Affect Your Total Damages
If you win the slip and fall case against Food Lion, you can receive economic damages that will cover your medical bills and other injury-related costs you incurred due to the accident. You can also recover non-economic damages, which serve as compensation for intangible costs such as the physical pain and disabilities that resulted from the slip and fall.
However, you may encounter laws that can reduce or limit the amount of compensation you can receive in a slip and fall case. You can check with a slip and fall injury attorney if you are unsure whether your state has such laws or not.
Damage Caps Limit Total Amount
Some states have damage caps that restrict the amount you can receive for a particular type of damage. For example, if your Food Lion accident happened in a Tennessee store, your non-economic damages cannot go past $750,000. Meanwhile, Maryland increases the non-economic damage cap each year, with a current limit of $875,000.
Fault Laws Could Reduce Recoverable Amount
If the court ever finds you partly liable for the Food Lion slip and fall, the amount that you are entitled to could get deducted if your state follows a comparative negligence rule. The amount depends on the percentage of fault you share. Say, for instance, that the jury declares you 20 percent at fault for running on a slippery floor, even though the Food Lion staff failed to put a “wet floor” sign in the area. If you were supposed to receive $30,000 in damages, you would only get 80 percent of it, or $24,000. Delaware and South Carolina are some of the states that follow this rule.
However, if your state has a contributory fault law, you cannot recover any damages even if you only share a very small percentage of the liability. Only a few states follow this rule nowadays, including Virginia and North Carolina.
Collecting as much proof as you can of the Food Lion staff’s negligence can help increase your chances of receiving a more appropriate amount — or recovering any at all.
Get Legal Assistance for Your Accident
Seeking justice for your injury is still possible even if you have to face a large grocery store chain like Food Lion in court. The office of Ben Crump Law, PLLC has an injury lawyer for slip and fall accidents at Food Lion ready to provide the legal support to help you reach the settlement you deserve. Our team operates on a contingency basis and does not charge any fees unless you win your case.
With civil rights attorney and advocate Ben Crump leading the team, we will fight against civil rights violations and other forms of injustice in the U.S. Our practice areas include personal injury cases such as auto accidents, mesothelioma, and medical malpractice. For questions regarding our legal services, you may get in touch through (855) 933-4005.
