Target usually hits the bullseye for savings and convenience for Coeur d’Alene Shoppers. You probably don’t have many daily needs that Target doesn’t have an aisle for. The problem is, a lot of people know this secret and a lot of them stream through those automatic doors.
Customers can behave like slobs sometimes. Dripping their sodas on the tile, sending loose candy bouncing down an aisle, and they can also drop a jar of pickles to shatter and spill everywhere. These aren’t just messes, they are health risks. When you don’t know these obstacles are present you can take a dangerous fall right there in the middle of Target.
Who Is Responsible After a Slip-And-Fall at Target in Coeur d’Alene?
Target makes billions of dollars a year off its customers, and it’s only fair that they do everything they can to give you a safe shopping experience every time you visit. That means monitoring every inch of their Canfield Avenue location for hazards that could hurt you and cleaning them up or repairing them in a reasonable amount of time.
In fact, the law enforces this “duty of care” to make sure any place of business keeps customer safety a priority. A shampoo bottle can bust and ooze across the floor on a health and beauty aisle. If employees aren’t routinely checking the store for these issues the mess can sit there for an hour or more. You could walk up and have your feet taken out from under you. The result could be a blow to the head from a shelf edge or a hip fracture after a hard smack on the floor.
Under the concept of premises liability, your injury can be the responsibility of the store’s owners and operators. That should mean that every hospital bill you receive and every lost paycheck at work should be covered by Target. Of course, Target is a worldwide corporation and they’ll have lawyers and insurance representatives working to either escape blame for your injury or get you to accept a “lowball” settlement for your hardships.
What to Do After Taking a Fall at Target
Target’s duty to keep you safe begins in the parking lot. When you leave your car a pothole can catch your foot and send you into a dangerous slip-and-fall. Your knee, wrist, or face could take the full impact of such a tumble. Potholes, cracked sidewalks, and even ice and snow during a Coeur d’Alene winter should all be dealt with before you have the opportunity to end up on the ground.
After you take a fall you should assess your condition. If you feel you need emergency care, call 911. Then if you are physically strong enough, start gathering all the evidence you can at the scene.
- Alert a Target Manager – Target’s corporate office will want an official report of what happened. Allow a manager to write one up. Tell them what happened but don’t say that the accident was your fault or that you weren’t hurt. You probably won’t have an accurate answer to either question until the shock of the accident wears off and you’ve had some time to reflect.
- Take Pictures – Before a clean-up crew comes running to clear the mess that sent you to the ground snap pictures and video. If you aren’t feeling up to standing, ask someone with you or perhaps a witness to take photos.
- Talk to Witnesses – Secure contact information from anyone who saw you fall or at least noticed the obstacle that caused your accident.
- Get a Check-up with Your Doctor – Make sure to document any injuries or pain you notice in the days after your fall. The adrenaline present after an accident can mask injuries until the next morning or in the days that follow.
- Contact a Personal Injury Attorney – After any serious injury talk with a local attorney before communicating with any representative from Target. They will be asking you for a recorded statement and those statements can come back to hurt your case later. Don’t count on Target to automatically admit liability and immediately offer to pay your medical expenses and other financial losses. You’ll need physical evidence, documents, and witness testimony to prove that your fall wasn’t your fault. Your lawyer will be gathering all of this evidence to build your case. Having an attorney also informs Target’s legal advisors that you will take the company to court if a fair settlement isn’t offered. Your attorney will also be invaluable when determining what is a fair settlement for what you’ve been through.
How Long Do I Have to File an Injury Claim in Idaho?
Idaho allows injured victims up to two years to file a claim for damages. Two years may seem like a long time, but the sooner you take action the easier it will be for your attorney to build your case. Waiting years or months can make it harder to secure evidence and track down witnesses who may have moved. It’s also a good idea to get your claim out to Target as soon as possible because corporations can take their sweet time to respond, all while your bills keep piling up.
Contact a Coeur d’Alene Slip-And-Fall Accident Lawyer
After you’ve been the victim of a slip-and-fall accident at a major retailer like Target, contact CCD Law serving Northern Idaho for a free consultation that comes with no obligation to you.
Don’t face off against Target’s team of lawyers alone. They will work to limit the compensation you receive, but our attorneys will fight back to make sure you have what you need to recover your health and get back to a normal life.
