Shopping Mall Slip And Fall Injury
Indiana Shopping Mall Slip and Fall Injury Lawyer
Shopping is a popular activity in Indiana.
And shopping malls are still an exciting destination for many Indiana citizens. They come in all shapes and sizes -- indoor shopping malls with numerous stores and large common areas, outdoor shopping malls or outlet malls or the ubiquitous strip mall -- a common sight in every Indiana city or town.
But, a trip and fall or slip and fall accident can easily occur at a shopping mall due to the wide array of businesses all in one spot and the large size of the area.
Owners and managers of retail businesses have a responsibility to take notice of the interior and exterior of their premises in order to discover unsafe conditions and defects. Next, upon learning of unsafe conditions, the business landowners or possessors must take steps to remedy the hazardous condition in order to prevent injuries to customers and patrons.
Did you recently slip and fall in a shopping mall and are curious about your rights? An Indiana slip and fall shopping mall injury lawyer can help you put together a case to hold the relevant parties accountable.
Causes of Slip and Falls in a Shopping Mall in Indiana
A shopping mall has the potential to lead to slip and fall or trip and fall cases of many kinds. Its vast size and multiple types of businesses can lead to both interior and exterior defects and unsafe conditions that cause injuries to shoppers, patrons and customers.
Anywhere that you walk can in a shopping mall has the potential to have improperly maintained, inadequately cleaned, uneven or slippery surfaces – both inside and outside the shopping mall. These can all lead to slip and fall injuries. There are indoor and outdoor shopping malls in Indiana including outlet malls that can create many of these dangerous characteristics. Pursuing a claim can be much more difficult when numerous factors are involved.
Some of the most common types of exterior claims for shopping mall slip and fall injuries include cracked asphalt in sidewalks, debris from stones, tree roots, rocks and potholes or snowy and icy conditions in the parking lot.
Inside a shopping mall, a customer can be injured by merchandise that has blocked an aisle after falling to the floor, slippery surfaces near an entrance, spilled food and drinks on the floor of the food court and more.
Some of these hazards pose higher risks than others. Many injuries associated with shopping mall slip and falls are associated with spilled liquid or food. Lack of maintenance often contributes to these accidents. (See “Falls on Wet Floors” page of this website).
Other types of injuries could include shoppers to being injured by malfunctioning escalators, distractions, slick interior surfaces, and unmarked torn carpeting.
Snow and ice in parking lots and sidewalks that have been improperly maintained can also cause injury. (See section on falls related to snow and ice on this website). Potholes can be another injury causing problem. (See section on potholes on this website).
Those retail business proprietors and landowners who manage a shopping mall have a responsibility to patrons that requires inspections to monitor all walkways and hallways, to remove debris when it is detected, to repair potholes and other damaged areas, to clear away ice and snow from the parking lot and to have a plan in place to detect hazards in a reasonable amount of time.
Who is Liable in an in Shopping Mall Accident?
Responsibility might rest with numerous liable parties, depending on how the accident occurred and where it occurred. Many retail businesses have leases with the shopping mall owner that places blame entirely on the business and relieves the landowner from any responsibility. Many other shopping malls have contracts with third-party businesses to maintain the property and clean the interior floors or to remove snow and ice from parking lots and sidewalks.
Finding the correct responsible parties for your injury is one reason it is so important to consult with an experienced attorney who has reviewed leases and conducted literally hundreds of investigations for all types of shopping mall injuries.
Call Shaw Law at (260) 777-7777 and get straight talk and real answers to your questions concerning the recovery of money for your damages – which can include pain and suffering, medical bills, disfigurement, lost wages, future impairment of earning capacity and loss of quality of life.
