You may have never guessed that a quick trip to the department store was going to end in a slip and fall accident. It is important that, while you are still at the department store, you collect evidence for your potential, future personal injury claim. Follow along to find out the significance of a store incident report and how a proficient St. Mary’s County slip and fall lawyer at The Dorsey Law Firm can help you in obtaining a copy of this.
How might I get hurt in a department store?
Simply put, you incur an injury while shopping in a department store if there are any hazardous conditions present. This is regardless of whether you are still in the parking lot, in the dressing room, on the checkout line to pay, or otherwise. Examples of such hazardous conditions are as follows:
- The walkways in a department store are wet or otherwise slippery.
- The lighting in a department store is dim or otherwise inadequate.
- The security in a department store is negligent or otherwise inadequate.
- The shelves in a department store are overloaded with products.
- The rails, staircases, escalators, or elevators in a department store are defective.
And such hazardous conditions may be present due to the negligence of a department store owner or manager. That is, an owner or manager carries a duty of care in ensuring that they clear or rectify any dangers that may be on their property.
What is the significance of a store incident report in my personal injury claim?
If you suspect that you will require financial compensation to fully heal from your injuries, then you must fulfill your burden of proof. That is, as a plaintiff, you must collect a sufficient amount of evidence to even have a chance at a successful personal injury claim. Such evidence starts with a store incident report.
Essentially, a store accident report is conducted by a department store owner or manager to document your accident itself, along with any circumstances surrounding it. You must request a copy of this report while you are still at the department store. You must also request that a department store owner or manager submit a copy with their insurance company. By getting this document immediately, you are preventing a department store owner or manager from leaving key pieces of information out or changing the notes later on.
And if a department store owner or manager refuses to supply you with a copy, or refuses to establish the report in the first place, then it is recommended that you call security or your local law enforcement to the department store; they will take it from there.
The first step you must take in your legal action is to make a phone call. Without further ado, pick up the phone and contact a talented Leonardtown personal injury lawyer from The Dorsey Law Firm today.
