Most people go into stores of all kinds on a daily basis, visiting all kinds of retail establishments, from clothing and accessory stores to grand-scale grocery supermarkets for all their essentials. When we step into these stores, we expect certain standards of health, safety, and care. We expect to be able to walk around, looking at the items and buying what we need without any major risks.
Unfortunately, things don’t always work out that way, and statistics show that huge numbers of people can get hurt in popular stores like Walmart and Target all the time, as well as smaller independent stores too.
Often, these accidents happen when shoppers slip and fall in stores because of various hazards, like spillages that haven’t been cleaned up correctly or recently-cleaned areas that haven’t been marked with warning signs. But what do you actually do if you get injured at a Walmart or some other retail location? This guide will cover all the key steps to take.
Seek Medical Attention
One of the first things to do whenever any kind of injury occurs, either in a store, at home, or in the workplace, is to make sure you get the medical attention you need. If the incident is very serious and you feel in pain, it might even be best to remain in your position and not do anything else until help arrives.
If, on the other hand, you are able to move around without any significant distress or discomfort, you may be able to take the time needed to report the issue to the store manager first and then get yourself to a doctor, later on, to be checked over. Either way, always be sure to get checked out, as there are many injuries that don’t appear straight away but still need to be treated.
Report the Incident
Next, you’ll need to make sure that the incident is reported to the necessary people. Depending on the situation, you may want to speak with an employee of the store and let them know what happened so that they can report it to people in higher positions of authority, or you may want to speak with the store manager directly. Either way, when people get hurt in stores, it’s vital that these incidents get reported to the people responsible for those stores.
Store managers should make official reports of any incidents for their own personal insurance reasons, and it’s important to be careful when delivering your account. Don’t take any blame or responsibility for incidents that weren’t your fault, and don’t say anything you aren’t sure about, sticking purely to the facts, as you don’t want to say anything that the store might use against you later on.
Collect Evidence and Document the Scene
This is a very important part of the process when it comes to injuries and accidents of all kinds, and it’s especially important when it comes to incidents in stores, as you’ll need all the evidence you can get to back up any claims you might need to make and support your case if the incident ends up being debated in court.
Take photos of the scene and any injuries you have, as long as you’re physically able to do so, and look around the site as well for any factors that might have contributed to your accident. For example, if you slipped and fell on an unmarked wet patch, take a photo of the patch and the surrounding area to show that there weren’t any warning signs to let you know to be careful.
Contact a Lawyer
The next recommended step for people who have been involved in store accidents is to contact a lawyer. There are many highly experienced legal firms that specialize in these kinds of cases, and they’ll be able to guide you through the process, build a case to defend your claims, and give you the best chance of a successful outcome.
The costs for slip and fall accidents and other store incidents can really add up when you take into account any medical bills you might have, recovery costs, loss of income, and the personal mental distress you may suffer as a result of the incident, so it’s vital to have a strong legal representative on your side in order to argue your case and help you get the payout you deserve.
Final Word
We all like to think that we’re safe and sound when walking around stores, but the truth of the matter is that accidents can occur at any time, in any location, and even if you’re a careful and sensible person, you might find yourself getting hurt because of the recklessness or negligence of some other person or party.
When this happens, it’s vital to know what you should do, and hopefully, this guide has given you a clear step-by-step guide of exactly what to do if any accidents occur in store locations that leave you with genuine injuries.