With more than 800 stores in the Sunshine State, Publix Supermarkets is the largest grocery store chain in Florida. Thousands of shoppers enter and exit Publix stores every day throughout the state. Aside from its liquor stores, the company operates at least nine supermarkets in and around Tampa. The company is privately owned by past and present employees. Maybe that’s why Publix treats customers who injure themselves as a result of the negligence of Publix employees the way that it does. It acts like injured victims are trying to take money out of the pockets of Publix employees themselves.
Publix and its Claims Administrator
Having been founded about 90 years ago, Publix has extensive experience in handling personal injury claims, especially slip and fall accidents on the properties that it occupies. The company handles its own claims through its corporate offices in Lakeland, FL. That claims office works in conjunction with another company that investigates, evaluates and attempts to settle slip and fall accidents for Publix. These are likely to be the people who you can expect to have difficulty with after making a personal injury claim against Publix. It has developed a reputation of strenuously defending any claim or lawsuit against Publix. This claims administrator acts like a person who was injured as a result of the negligence of Publix is trying to take its own money from its pocket too. Positioning itself that way from the onset operates to successfully scare some claimants away.
What to Do After a Slip and Fall
If you’re able to get on your feet and walk away from a slip and fall at Publix, insist on speaking with the manager who will complete an accident report. After that, get to an emergency room right away to be examined. Start with your head and work down to your toes, and tell emergency room personnel about all of your symptoms. If you can’t get to your feet, insist that paramedics be called. They can stabilize your condition and transport you to an emergency room for examination and treatment.
Don’t Give a Statement
Before you can even bring a personal injury claim, Publix or its claims administrator might phone you “just to check up on you.” Don’t believe that for a minute. That person phoning you wants a recorded statement from you. Politely refuse to give one. No matter what that individual says, state law doesn’t require you to give any type of a statement to Publix or its claims administrator without an attorney being present on your behalf. It’s highly likely that you’ll devalue your claim by giving any type of statement. Rather than taking that chance, contact our offices after leaving the emergency room, and you can arrange for a free consultation and case review.
Attend all Medical Appointments
The adjuster who is assigned to your claim is going to be combing through all of your medical records in connection with your slip and fall. He or she will be looking for treatment gaps. If one or more is found, that adjuster will argue that you weren’t injured to the extent that you claim. You might even be accused of malingering. Don’t give them that opportunity to call your truthfulness into question.
Contact a Tampa Slip-and-Fall Attorney
If you were injured at a Tampa area Publix, contact us today for a free consultation and case evaluation. You need to act quickly before witnesses, video footage, and other evidence disappears. Contact us as soon as you leave the emergency room, and we’ll arrange for a free confidential conference.