Slip and fall accidents in Target stores are governed by the law of premises liability which requires the owner or occupier of a retail premises to maintain it in a reasonably safe condition that is free from hazards that might injure the store’s customers. If an owner or occupier of a retail premises breaches that duty and a customer is injured in a slip and fall accident, liability for injuries and damages might attach.
Common Causes Of Slip And Falls At Tampa Area Targets
There are at least 15 Target stores in and around Tampa. They sell products ranging from beauty and health supplies to food, household goods, lawn, garden, and pet supplies to small appliances and electronics. Given such a wide variety of products, spillage is inevitable. That makes slip and falls inevitable too. Here are a few common causes of slip and fall accidents at Target Stores in and around Tampa:
- Spilled oily or greasy substances.
- Freshly mopped floors.
- Freshly waxed floors.
- Water tracked in from wet parking lots and sidewalks.
- Spilled powdery substances.
- Spilled, food, soft drinks and ice.
- Plumbing leaks.
When Can Target Be Considered Negligent For A Slip And Fall?
If a slip and fall victim is unable to prove that Target was negligent in failing to maintain its premises in a reasonably safe condition, that victim isn’t eligible to be compensated for his or her injuries and damages. That person must prove the following:
- There was a dangerous condition on the property that caused an unreasonable risk of harm.
- Target knew or should have known of the condition.
- Target failed to remedy the condition or give customers adequate warning of it.
Evidence in support of a slip and fall victim’s negligence claim can include any surveillance video footage of the accident, witness statements, paramedic and emergency room records.
Common Slip And Fall Injuries:
When people slip and fall, they ordinarily fall backwards or to the side. One or both legs fly out from under them, gravity causes them to crash down, and they land on a solid concrete base. Such falls can cause serious and permanent injuries like the following:
- Traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries.
- Skull and vertebral fractures and disc herniations.
- Shoulder, elbow and wrist fractures.
- Hip and ankle fractures.
- Damage to shoulder and knee cartilage.
- Soft tissue injuries.
Defenses
There are a number of defenses available to Target in a slip and fall case. Here are some of them:
- The customer was fully aware of the dangerous condition and disregarded it.
- He or she was in an area that was not open to customers.
- Target’s employees and store manager had no knowledge of the condition.
- There was no dangerous condition.
Comparative Negligence
Target is likely to also allege that a slip and fall victim was partially at fault for the accident. That is a matter of fact for a jury to decide. The jury might attribute most of the fault to Target with part of the fault to the victim. It would then reduce its verdict against Target by the percentage of fault attributable to the victim. For example, if 20% of the fault was attributable to the victim, a $100,000 verdict would be reduced to $80,000. But, if the victim is found to be more than 50% at fault, they will be unable to seek damages.
Contact A Lawyer Today If You Fell In Target
After being injured in a slip and fall at a Tampa area Target, report it to management. Then, it’s crucial that you get to an emergency room right away where your symptoms and injuries can be documented. If necessary, have paramedics take you there. Upon being sent home, follow all discharge instructions and contact our offices immediately for a free consultation and case evaluation. Don’t wash the clothes that you were wearing. They could be evidence. There might even be security video footage of your accident. We’ll want that preserved. You must act fast, so contact us as soon as possible for a free consultation.