You should not have to take extra special care whenever you go shopping. Store owners, their managers and the employees who work in them are expected to take their safety responsibilities seriously. Any injuries that are the result of poor safety standards might result in taking the store to court in a personal injury dispute.
A personal injury claim is often necessary if the accident that happened resulted in serious injuries that require expensive medical care, or lost earnings because of an inability to return to work as normal. A personal injury claim can help to recover these unplanned expenses.
You Can Rent or Buy at a Furniture Store, but Watch Where You Step
The concept of rent to buy is the ability of customers to purchase goods over a prolonged time period, in which time they are deemed to be “renting” the goods. They can take the article(s) back whenever they want and rent them out again later on. Accidents may seem unlikely but are always a possibility in these stores.
Types of Dangers
Furniture stores tend to offer household goods, electrical and electronic equipment. They usually have a showroom where you can arrange purchase through a rent to buy agreement. Showrooms may have a number of potential dangers as follows:
- The forecourt and entrance way may be slippery from rain water or ice;
- Goods may be haphazardly located on the floor, especially when shelves are being packed;
- Carpets or other floor surfaces may be torn or loose;
- The lighting may be inadequate and make it difficult to see the floor easily;
- Slippery floors after cleaning;
- Extension cords or computer cables laid across the floor of the showroom.
A Hypothetical Scenario That Might Lead to a Personal Injury Lawsuit
There must be a justification for taking legal action against the store where you fell. You may have had an accident while on their property but whose fault was it? If you slip over on a torn section of carpet inside the store, you could make a claim if it can be proved that the tear happened some time ago. The claim is most likely to succeed if it can be shown that the store did nothing about repairing the tear, even if your accident was the first to take place.
A PI Lawyer Can Help You Win a Claim Against a Store
Big companies may hesitate to admit fault, even if it might seem obvious to you that they were responsible for an accident. You are advised to contact an experienced personal injury attorney to provide advice and help you pursue legal action. The personal injury attorney will have had experience dealing with slip-and-fall accidents in a store before and is most likely to provide a contingency fee arrangement in which you do not have to pay legal fees upfront. They are paid only if the claim is won.
*The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Rent a Center, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
