Slip and fall accidents are the most common types of accidents in a Costco, or any other big retail store. You can claim compensation for the cost of medical treatment and other damages if you have been injured and can prove that the injury was the fault of the store management or their employees.
The term ‘fault’ means that, in some way or another, the store workers or managers have been negligent in their duty to maintain safe conditions for customers in the store.
To prove fault, it must be shown that staff were aware of the existence of a hazard, such as spilled liquid contents, but had not attended to it in an acceptable time frame, thereby creating the possibility of a slip and fall accident.
How to Show Retail Store Negligence Caused a Slip and Fall
Slip and fall accidents in big retail stores like Costco are most frequently caused by slippery floors. These may have happened because some of the contents of one of the products on a store shelf have fell on to the floor and spilled their contents. Leaks or recent floor cleaning can also cause slippery floors and hazards to shoppers.
Spills by themselves do not show that the store was negligent. To show that negligence was involved you need to show that the hazard, whatever it was, had existed for some considerable time and nothing had been done to remove it. At the very least, one would expect a diligent store manager would instruct employees to warn customers about the danger, clean it up, or put up barriers to stop customers from potentially slipping over.
If you are considering a claim against the company that owns the store, you will need proof that the store staff had not done enough to prevent an accident happening despite knowledge about the danger and sufficient time to act.
Evidence to Show a Slip and Fall was a Retail Store’s Fault
Typical evidence that can be used to show that your injury was the fault of the store includes:
• eye witness statements testifying that the hazard that caused the slip and fall had existed without anyone doing anything about it;
- photos taken at the scene of the injury showing the reason for the accident;
- video footage taken by a store security camera that may have recorded the accident and when the hazard was originally created;
- a time record that can help prove that there had been enough time for the store staff to remove the hazard.
Get Help Proving Fault
You are welcome to make use of a free case evaluation to get in touch with a PI lawyer who can help prove Costco, or another large retailer, was at fault for your slip and fall injury.
Additional Resources
- Preserving Accident Evidence for a Personal Injury Lawsuit
- Preparing for Your Personal Injury Claim Against Costco*
Disclaimer: The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Costco, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
