Injured While Shopping? What You Need To Do

Shoppers visit a store to purchase an item that they want or need. They never enter the store with the expectation they will walk out with an injury. However, for several different reasons, people are injured on shopping trips all the time. If you find yourself in this scenario, you must know what to do. 

Speak with An Attorney

Your first course of action should be to speak with an attorney. More than likely, the store where you were injured is part of a major corporation. So, without a doubt, a team of attorneys is working on their behalf. Speaking with an attorney is also critical to assessing fault for the accident. To successfully file an injury claim, you must prove that the store was at fault, at least partly. An attorney will get to work right away to establish fault. 

Collect Witness Statements

If you can do so, collect the contact information from a few people who witnessed the incident at any point before leaving the scene. For instance, in the case of a slip and fall due to a wet floor, a witness could be someone who may have nearly slipped on the wet area or saw you fall. These people will prove vital in proving fault on the store owner's part. 

Examine the Entire Picture

When it comes to an injury in a store, remember the store owner must only be at least partly at fault to file a claim. For this reason, being honest about your actions regarding the incident is essential. Providing your information about your actions, such as if you were running or on your phone and not looking ahead of you at the time of the fall, lets your attorney know ahead of time what rebuttals the company might try to come back at you on. 

Avoid Contact

As previously mentioned, the store probably has an attorney reviewing your case as well. To settle the claim as quickly as possible or gain as much information from you as possible, it is typical for the other party's attorney to reach out to discuss the event with you. More often than not, it is best to avoid this situation. Everything you say in this conversation will be used against you. The best action would be to direct them to speak with your attorney.

If you or a loved one is injured while shopping, you must act fast. Be sure to speak with an attorney who can assist you with this situation immediately. 

Contact a local injury attorney to learn more.