Walmart, like a lot of superstores, attracts a wide range of shoppers with a wide variety of consumer interests. Florida is home to many Walmart stores. There are steps the shopper or visitor should take to address their physical and legal needs. These steps include things the Walmart customer should do immediately/in the store and later, when the shopper leaves the store. Slip and falls can cause serious injuries resulting in medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and disfigurement. Here are some of the key steps:

In the store.

Take care. Make sure you can get up without hurting yourself – otherwise, ask for help.

Try to determine the cause of the fall. Many supermarket falls happen in the product aisles, at the entrances or even outside the store. Take notes as to where the accident happened and what might have caused you to fall. Some of the reasons people fall are:

  1. Wet floors
  2. Recently polished floors
  3. Bad tiles or bad carpets
  4. Fallen merchandise. What was the merchandise?
  5. Poor lighting.

Try to determine if the fall was something Walmart should have been aware of:

  1. Did any employees or witnesses say anything?
  2. Were there mops around?
  3. Were there any signs, like treadmarks, to indicate someone else had walked through the bad area.
  4. Were there warning signs?
  5. Was the floor wet? If so, was it wet or dirty?

Get the names and contact information for any witnesses.

Take notes or photographs if you have a phone or computer camera.

Inform the store manager. The store manager should help you with your physical problems. He/she will probably take a statement. He/she may also try to repair the wrong.

Get medical attention. See a physician as soon as you can. Delay can be misconstrued as showing that your pain really wasn’t serious. Make an appointment with your doctor as soon as you leave the store.

Don’t sign any releases – the insurance company for Walmart may try to get you to sign a release in return for paying a small part of your bills, Know that signing a release can destroy any attempt to recover for damages that weren’t set forth/identified in the release. Before signing any release, consult with a skilled Florida slip and fall lawyer.

See a Tampa or Florida slip and fall attorney. Your lawyer will:

  1. Help investigate the cause of the fall
  2. Help show Walmart knew or should have known about the dangerous condition that caused the fall.
  3. Help show how Walmart could have prevented the accident.
  4. Help show that someone else may have been responsible – such as an independent cleaning clue.
  5. Make sure your claim is properly and timely filed.
  6. Negotiate with insurance adjustors to make sure you get all of your rightful damages.
  7. Prepare your case for trial and try you case.

How our firm can help.

If anyone you know has suffered because of an accident in a Walmart or any other store, let our Florida premises liability lawyers help you get the recovery you deserve. During this difficult time we will help you receive the maximum compensation allowed by law and we will assist you through every step of the case. Our team of lawyers works with medical professionals, valuation experts, technical experts and other lawyers. If you or a loved one suffered an injury or a death please call us at 1-888-WE-MEAN-IT (1-888-936-3264) or email us at: [email protected].

Stephen K. Brooks
Author: Stephen K. Brooks

Steve was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. As was the practice for new doctors his father worked day and night during his medical residency at Charity Hospital there. Steve comes from a long line of doctors. His father, his grandfather, his great grandfather, even two uncles were all specialists and/or surgeons in their chosen medical specialties, including internal medicine specialist, obstetrics / gynecology, neurosurgery and general practice / surgery. His great-great grandfather was the Surgeon General of Ohio during the Civil War.