Retail stores are generally safe places for shoppers. However, sometimes accidents happen when you least expect them due to negligence. Following an accident, you must take specific steps to protect your rights. This includes filing a store incident report. If you have been injured in a retail store, contact a competent New York City Premises Liability Attorney who can help you hold responsible parties liable for their negligence. Continue reading to learn the importance of filing a store incident report after an accident.
What are some common causes of retail accidents?
Retail store accidents can arise for several reasons. However, the most common causes include liquids on the store floor, merchandise falling from the shelf, poor lighting in parking lots, malfunctioning shopping carts, and more. While browsing store products, shoppers can sustain severe injuries due to dangerous property conditions.
Retail stores owe everyone that enters their premises a duty of care. This is true even if an individual enters the premises and does not make a purchase. Individuals who enter the store premises are considered an invitee to the store. The store owes invitees reasonable care to keep the premises safe to prevent accidents arising from dangerous property conditions. If the store fails to uphold its legal duty, perhaps because hazardous conditions were left unattended, it can be held liable for any accidents caused by its negligence.
However, you are burdened with fulfilling the burden of proof. To recover monetary compensation for your damages, you must prove that the store’s negligence caused your injuries. To do this, you must gather relevant evidence. This includes filing a store incident report.
Why should I file a store incident report?
If you are injured in an accident while in a retail store, you must notify the store manager and file a store incident report to safeguard your rights. A store incident documents the incident. This report helps preserve evidence by providing a detailed account of the incident. This includes the date, time, and personal information of all parties who witnessed the injury.
When speaking to the store manager, it is critical to stick to the facts. You should provide them with relevant information to include in the report. In some cases, individuals accidentally take the blame for the incident. This is a problem, as any admission could be used to minimize the store’s liability for your injuries. To prevent this, you should be careful about the information you relay.
If the store manager asks you to sign any documents when the incident report is filed, be sure to read the paper thoroughly to ensure you understand what you are signing, as some documents can include conditions such as a liability release that will prevent you from taking legal action against the store for your damages. It is imperative to ask the store manager for a copy of the incident report. If they don’t provide you with a copy, take a photo of the information to ensure it is not altered at any point.
For more information, contact Swerling Law today. Our firm is committed to helping our clients secure the fair compensation they deserve.
