You suffered an accident at Walmart. You slipped and fell, leading to a head injury, broken bone, or lacerations. No matter what occurred, you’re confident the retailer owes you money for your losses, but you don’t know how to secure compensation for these losses.
It can seem simple enough to file a claim with the insurance company that calls you, but doing so can constitute one of the most costly mistakes you make in your life.
The better option is to get legal representation. But why do you need a lawyer after a slip and fall at Walmart?
The first thing to know is that an attorney is a professional you hire who will work directly to support your best outcome in a slip and fall claim. They will help you get the compensation you need and deserve.
Without a slip and fall attorney, you have to rely on Walmart and the giant retailer’s insurance company to be fair in what they pay you. Chances are you will not come close to receiving proper compensation if you go that route, though. Here’s why.
Did You Suffer a Slip and Fall at a Walmart Store?
If you fell and suffered injuries at a Walmart retail location, you have the right to seek compensation for your losses. That compensation should typically come from Walmart, which means you must negotiate with the retailer’s insurance company.
Like all other businesses, Walmart is responsible for creating a safe environment, and you can assume that stepping foot into their location does not put you at risk. When it does, that failure qualifies as negligence when it leads to severe injuries.
What types of negligence can lead to this type of accident?
Slips and fall can occur because:
- An employee mopping the floor didn’t alert others to the wet floor
- Someone dropped something on the floor, and no one cleaned it up properly
- Displays or items protrude into walkways and aisles
- Employees conducted inadequate inspections of the store conditions
- You slipped in the bathroom due to a leaking toilet that management knew about but didn’t fix
Ultimately, to receive compensation for your losses from this type of incident, you should show that Walmart is responsible for the losses you suffered. If they did not provide a safe experience for you and should have taken steps to avoid your injuries, then you deserve compensation.
Proving Walmart was at fault is challenging, so working closely with a personal injury attorney who can help you navigate the legal process is always important. They will help you gather evidence and fight against experienced attorneys and insurance adjusters working to minimize compensation.
Walmart Has its Own Insurance Company
Walmart works hard to avoid liability for injuries to customers. The store even owns the insurance company representing the corporate giant; this insurer only handles Walmart claims. Unsurprisingly, Walmart’s insurer is less than objective and certainly biased against injured claimants.
This is a major hurdle for many people in an already challenging time. Ensure you hire a slip and fall attorney who has previously handled claims against Walmart. They will be ready for the obstacles Walmart might throw in your path to compensation.
Was Your Loss Substantial and Caused Financial Loss?
Your injuries will dictate how much you should seek in compensation and the challenges of the process. Usually, more severe injuries from a slip and fall will lead to greater challenges in seeking the compensation you need for your losses.
Hire a lawyer if your injuries seem minor, however, as Walmart will make these claims difficult, too.
No matter what injuries you suffered, request a free consultation with a slip and fall attorney who can answer your questions and assess your losses based on the specifics of your incident. They can help you determine if you have a case and what you can receive in compensation in your individual situation.
Don’t wait to do this. Under state law, you have limited time to take action to protect your right to compensation.
Slip and Fall Accidents Can Be Serious
Another reason to turn to a slip and fall attorney is that you might have serious injuries. A slip and fall may not seem like it can cause substantial physical or financial damage, but it can. Dealing with an insurance claim is even more difficult when you are already dealing with injuries.
Some of the most common injuries from slip and falls include:
- Head trauma and traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones, including wrists, arms, ankles, and legs
- Hip fractures, which are particularly common in senior adults
- Lacerations and contusions
- Tailbone injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
With the help of a slip and fall attorney, you can sufficiently show that Walmart is to blame for these losses. Remember that the company will try anything it can to avoid responsibility.
What Type of Losses Do You Have?
Another way your slip and fall attorney will help you is by identifying all the potential losses you have from the incident. This may seem simple – after all, you have medical bills that show what you have paid for your treatment so far. Yet, calculating your losses is anything but simple.
After a serious injury, you likely have substantial losses that go well beyond what your medical bills show. Take into consideration some of your additional potential losses.
Medical bills
Your medical bills are likely one of the largest concerns on your mind, as medical bills after a slip and fall can be extensive.
They may include:
- Emergency room visits
- Ambulance rides and care
- Hospital admission if you had to remain in the hospital due to your injury
- Medications and medical equipment
- Surgeries
- Physical therapy
- Lab work and other diagnostic testings
If you have a significant injury, you may need surgery, hospitalization, appointments with specialists, and ongoing care. In some situations, you may also need rehabilitation.
For example, if you fell and broke a hip, you may need physical therapy to get yourself back to walking normally again. You may need other help to regain strength, especially after an extended hospital stay or recovery period.
Some injuries require treatment after your insurance claim ends. Your lawyer has the tools to calculate your future medical needs and costs.
Lost time at work
Did you miss work due to your accident? This will include the time that you did not work due to receiving medical care, for example. Many people also miss work for rehabilitation appointments or because their injuries prevent them from performing their jobs.
In these situations, you can seek compensation if you did not receive your normal pay because of your injury. You can also seek recovery for future lost earnings.
Ongoing pain and suffering
Depending on the extensiveness of your injuries, you may have substantial pain involved in your recovery. This includes the pain that you suffered at the time of the incident and the pain suffered during recovery as you are healing.
Some people do not fully recover from these accidents, which may mean they are suffering from pain over a long period. Chronic pain can lead to limitations on your quality of life, limiting you from doing the things you enjoy doing, for example.
Long-term losses
People may struggle with long-term losses from a slip and fall accident.
This can include:
- Not going back to work due to an injury
- Not maintaining the same standard of life, often due to brain injuries or paralysis
- Ongoing pain and suffering
- Emotional distress over the condition of your life and your current needs
- Inability to care for yourself
Your slip and fall lawyer will consider not just the losses you have right but the losses you may have on an ongoing basis because of this incident. Allow your slip and fall attorney to help you explore more of the risks you face.
What Will Hiring a Lawyer Do to Help You With Your Slip and Fall Case Against Walmart?
Hiring a slip and fall attorney allows you to rely on their experience navigating these complex cases. You cannot prove all your losses on your own, especially when going up against aggressive attorneys and insurance adjusters for Walmart who know how to take advantage of you.
Walmart’s insurance adjusters will make it hard for you to receive full compensation – or even any compensation at all. They want you to admit fault for what occurred.
For example, a seemingly caring insurance adjuster may contact you to discuss your case. They may seem very concerned about helping you to process your claim quickly. Then, they ask a lot of questions. They may want to know what the doctor told you, or they may try to pressure you to admit you were at fault.
You may say you slipped due to your shoes or that you saw that the floor was wet before you fell. Insurance adjusters will try anything to get you to admit some blame, which can make them less responsible.
It’s also challenging to prove negligence on the part of Walmart in slip and fall cases, even when you know you can blame the store.
Consider, for example, what goes into proving negligence in a slip and fall matter. You have to show that the defendant knew or should have known about a problem – not just that the problem existed. You also have to show that they did not do anything to fix or warn of the problem after knowing it existed – and that they had enough time to react.
In a slip and fall case, you may have to show that an employee or manager knew the floor was wet and didn’t take action to prevent you from falling. That action may be as simple as placing a wet floor sign. You must show that Walmart took inadequate steps to protect customers from the hazard.
Your attorney can help you to navigate this process.
They will work with you every step of the way, including handling the tough steps in the process, such as:
- Determining if you have a case
- Working with you to get a better understanding of what occurred and who may be to blame
- Communicating with the insurance company, so there is no risk that you will make a mistake in a statement that puts your case at risk
- Advising you not to settle your claim too soon, meaning leaving money on the table that should be yours
- Guiding you through the legal process if you need to go to court
Walmart is a large corporation that can afford to compensate injured customers but instead hires well-respected attorneys to defend against liability. If you do not have an attorney with experience in this area, your case is also at risk.
Where to Get Started After a Slip and Fall
Daniel J Grimm, Cape Girardeau Slip and Fall Lawyer
Focus on healing from your injuries. While you do, turn to a slip and fall attorney who can guide you through filing a claim based on your specific losses. Then, your attorney will remain by your side as you work through the legal process. This includes handling your insurance communications, helping you gather available evidence, and proving negligence.
Your slip and fall attorney has the tools and resources to fight against a big organization like Walmart to protect your right to compensation. The key is not to wait too long and put your claim at risk.
The sooner you turn to a personal injury attorney, the better. It starts with a free consultation, which is a simple way to learn more about your right to compensation and if your case has merit. Find a slip and fall attorney dedicated to your long-term success.