Some people are Walmart shoppers forever, others love running into Target every week. Those allegiances can change quickly though if you take a tumble on an aisle and end up with broken bones or worse. Especially if a big company like Walmart or Target then refuses to help you through recovery.
In Louisville, the hazards can even start in the parking lot where snow and ice can build up and cause a slip-and-fall accident. You may not know it, but proprietors for businesses like Target are responsible for customer safety across the entire store and outside. When they don’t clear icy patches or mop up water in the produce section, they can be liable for any injury those messes cause and whatever expense it takes to get you back on your feet.
Slip-And-Fall Hazards At Louisville Targets
From the moment you pull onto Target property in your car, the owners and operators of that chain supermarket and department store owe you a “duty of care.” It means, to the best of their ability, they must keep all visitors safe and sound as they shop.
This can mean mopping up water on the tile in the bathroom and setting out a wet floor caution sign. This can mean monitoring all aisles, even at the very back of the store, for spills and dropped products on the floor. Anything that could quickly drop you to the floor as you look for items on your list.
Proprietors are required to fix floor damage and shelving issues that might hurt an unsuspecting customer. They must repair landscaping and sidewalk damage in a reasonable amount of time. They must also be ready to clean up and fix any damage a customer causes so that other customers don’t fall prey to the obstacles.
Common Slip-And-Fall and Trip-And-Fall Injuries Around Target
Super Shopping Centers like Target supply just about everything a busy Louisville family could need during the week. But that usefulness draws in more customers into giant floorspaces making for more chances for hazards to pop-up and more places for them to appear.
An item left on the floor in the cracker aisle or a pothole in the parking lot can send you into a dangerous trip-and-fall accident. In these incidents, victims are usually sent forward often causing a unique set of injuries.
- Arm injuries: Instinct will have victims extending their arms out to cushion their fall. This action can break hand bones and wrist bones. Shoulders can also be dislocated in the force of a fall.
- Facial Injuries: Bone and soft tissue injuries are common when arms fail and the face takes the brunt of a fall. The nose and jaw can be damaged. You can also take a head injury as your forehead or temple connects with a shelf or floor.
- Mouth and tooth damage: Dental impacts can leave teeth loosened, broken, or knocked out.
Drink spills or leaks near the dairy case can lead to a slip-and-fall accident. Victims can be flung backward when sliding on a hazard and receive other types of injuries:
- Skull fractures and other head injuries: A look in any direction around Target will reveal hard surfaces everywhere. The head can strike any of these and cause traumatic brain injuries for the victim. Extreme concussions and other levels of brain damage are possible.
- Damage to the spinal cord and hips: These injuries can rob victims of their mobility and be very hard to heal from. A temporary issue can become a permanent disability if proper treatment and therapy aren’t applied.
- Dislocations and other fractures: Bones in the arms and neck can break as well as other bones in the body. These breaks can require multiple surgeries
Target Compensation for Injuries
There are at least six Targets in the Louisville area and if you become the victim of a fall at any location, you’ll want to act quickly. Kentucky only allows personal injury victims up to a year to file a claim for damages over their accident.
It’s best to start immediately taking photos of your accident scene and collecting witness information so you can file your claim as soon as you are ready. An attorney can help you with these tasks and collect important documents like Target’s accident report on your fall and your medical bills and records.
If you build a strong case against Target, the compensation they’ll be forced to provide can include money for every medical expense you’ve had since the accident, and any expense expected in the future. You can be reimbursed for every hour you’ve missed at work due to your injury. Your emotional pain can also factor into compensation. You may be off your feet and experiencing a loss of enjoyment of life as you try to recover. This can earn money for counseling and other mental health care coverage.
Contact a Louisville Slip-and-Fall Accident Lawyer
Slip-and-Fall Accident victims often wonder if they need an attorney, and the answer is almost always yes. Businesses usually have their own legal teams that all work against you to try to keep you from getting the compensation you need to get your health and your finances back in a good spot. You’ll need your own attorney working on your behalf to make sure your needs are taken seriously.
Talk to a Louisville Slip-and-Fall Injury Attorney you can trust to be on your side and fight for your fair compensation. The attorneys at Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, have a combined 100 years’ experience in helping clients get the compensation they’ll need to make a full recovery. To discuss your case, contact Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC today, by clicking here to contact them online.
