When a pleasant day of shopping at Michael’s for craft supplies for your latest DIY project leads to a slip and fall accident in the store, you may find that your injuries far exceed a little public humiliation. Many people tend to shrug off their slip and fall accident in the interest of “walking away” from the incident with dignity. However, these victims typically mask some degree of pain as they get back up from their fall. If left unchecked, the injuries that cause this pain can worsen over the next few hours, days, or even weeks.
If you experienced a slip and fall accident like this, have a doctor check you for injuries. You may also want to consider contacting an injury lawyer for slip and fall accidents at Michael’s to help you pursue compensation from the store. A settlement can cover the cost of your medical expenses and any other damages you may have already suffered or will suffer in the future.
To learn more, call the team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC today at (800) 647-3113 for a free consultation.
How Slip and Fall Accidents Happen
A slip and fall accident can happen for a variety of reasons. Most importantly, you must remember that your slip and fall accident did not necessarily occur because of your clumsiness. Often, these accidents happen due to negligence on the part of store management or employees.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists several common causes of slip and fall accidents, including:
- Walking surface irregularities
- Spills on floors
- Exposed wires and cords
- Clutter and obstacles on floors
- Ice, snow, and other conditions related to weather
- Poor lighting
- Stepstools and ladders
If any sort of hazard contributed to your slip and fall accident at a Michael’s store, you may be eligible to pursue compensation. The store is ultimately responsible for correcting any hazards and/or cautioning shoppers, employees, and other occupants of the dangers.
Types of Slip and Fall Injuries
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) lists three physical factors involved in slip and fall accidents: friction, momentum, and gravity. These dangerous accidents can cause severe injuries, some of which can be permanent.
Seek medical attention immediately after your accident to check the extent of your injuries, treat them, and document their cause. Your medical records can be important evidence if you attempt to recover damages.
Common types of slip and fall injuries include:
- Soft tissue injuries, such as sprains or torn muscles
- Broken bones
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) or other head injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Shoulder injuries
The sooner a healthcare professional checks your medical condition, the easier it will likely be for your lawyer to connect your injury to the slip and fall accident at Michael’s. Otherwise, the store’s attorneys may try to claim that your injuries resulted from another incident, thereby relieving them of any liability for your damages.
Comparative Negligence
Even if you partially contributed to the accident, you may still be able to cover damages, depending on where the accident took place. Some states have comparative negligence laws that allow slip and fall accident victims who are partially at fault to still collect compensation for their injuries. When this occurs, you will be assigned a percentage of responsibility for the accident and your compensation is adjusted accordingly. For example, if you are deemed to be 30% responsible for the accident, you will receive 70% of your award amount.
An injury lawyer for slip and fall accidents at Michael’s can explain if comparative negligence laws apply to your case. Contact Ben Crump Law, PLLC today to learn more.
Building Your Case
As with any personal injury claim or lawsuit, evidence can make or break your case. Your legal team will work to gather the evidence needed to build a compelling argument for the store’s liability by conducting a thorough investigation of your slip and fall accident. This may include:
- Visiting the store location where you slipped and fell
- Reviewing any surveillance footage that might have captured the fall on camera
- Collecting and studying the store’s safety records
- Obtaining a copy of the store’s accident report
- Gathering all the medical records that document your injuries
- Interviewing witnesses and recording their testimonies
Proving Liability
Within the scope of premises liability, you must prove specific elements of the case before you can be awarded compensation. These elements include:
- When you slipped and fell at Michael’s, you legally occupied the store.
- The Michael’s store manager or other store representatives knew of the safety hazard—or they should have been aware of it.
- Having knowledge of the hazard, the Michael’s store manager or other store representatives still neglected to fix the problem and/or alert customers of the danger at hand.
- Because of the store’s negligence, you slipped and fell, and this accident caused an injury that generated other damages.
Type of Damages You Might Recover
Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be able to recover compensation for a variety of damages. Some examples include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished future potential earnings
- Diminished quality of life
- Mental anguish
An injury lawyer for slip and fall accidents at Michael’s can review your case, calculate your damages, and explain your legal options.
Contact Us Before Time Runs Out
Most states limit the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit for a slip and fall accident or any sort of personal injury. This deadline, known as the statute of limitations, varies from state to state.
The sooner you hire legal representation, the more time you will have to gather evidence, build a compelling case, and complete the legal process. The team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC is ready to help. Call us today at (800) 647-3113 for a free case review.
