Dollar Store Accident Lawyer

 

A dollar store accident lawyer can help those who have suffered an injury, entirely caused by someone else, as a result of any type of accident at the various dollar store chains across the country. Dollar stores, including Dollar General and Family Dollar, are popular because of the various products they sell for one dollar or less. However, hundreds of accidents occur at dollar store chains across the country every year, leaving customers seriously injured. Being injured at a dollar store should not mean that you have to pay for your medical care. You can file a lawsuit for compensation against the store owner, the parent company, the building owner and other entities. For more information, contact a personal injury attorney to discuss your options.

 

Common Dollar Store Accidents and Injuries

 

Dollar store chains can be dangerous for customers of all ages. Why? There’s so much in the store that can lead to an injury, including spills, puddles, hazardous materials, items left on the floor, items falling from shelves and inadequate lighting. The most common dollar store accidents include the following:

 

  • Slip and fall on ice in the parking lot
  • Slip and fall on spilled liquid in the building
  • Inadequate lighting or security
  • Pallets left in the aisles
  • Improperly built shelves
  • Hazards on the floor (nails, screws, broken flooring, broken stairs)
  • Unmarked hazards (wet floor, broken glass, uneven pavement)

 

Victims of various accidents at General Dollar stores across the country can wind up suffering anything from a minor sprained ankle to a serious head injury. Common injuries in dollar store accidents include any of the following:

 

  • Broken bones
  • Head trauma
  • Eye trauma
  • Impalement
  • Sprains
  • Dislocated shoulder
  • Broken neck
  • Back injuries

 

Who is Responsible Should a Dollar Store Accident Happen?

 

There are multiple parties who could wind up being responsible should a dollar store accident happen. Whether you are injured at a Family Dollar, Dollar General, or Dollar Tree; it’s important to have an understanding as to who can be held liable in an accident. The parties that can be held responsible include the owner of the store, the owner of the building (if different from store owner), the parent company, the property management company, the owner of the parking lot, the security company assigned to the parking lot and any other party who failed to provide a safe experience for you while shopping.

 

The Duty of Care

 

All property owners, management companies, store owners and others in charge of a property owe their visitors a duty of care at all times. This means that every business must act just like any other reasonable business would under comparable circumstances. This duty of care is what’s taken into account when there is any type of accident that leaves someone injured at a Dollar General or other dollar store. In order to prove fault or negligence in a premises liability case, the victim will need to show the following:

 

  • They were owed a duty of care by the defendant
  • There was a breach of said duty of care
  • The breach led to the plaintiff suffering damages
  • The damages suffered by the plaintiff were caused by the duty of care being breached

 

Dollar Store Slip and Fall Accidents

 

Slip and fall accidents are the most common type of accidents that occur at dollar stores throughout the country. Why? There are so many factors that go into these accidents that it’s more likely for a customer to slip and fall than to be injured any other way. A slip and fall accident is not always cut and dry. These accidents don’t always occur because there was a puddle of liquid on the floor of an aisle in the Dollar Tree. Slip and fall accidents can happen in any of the following ways:

 

  • Slip and fall on water in the store
  • Slip and fall on liquid that has spilled
  • Slip and fall on ice in the parking lot
  • Slip and fall on ice on the sidewalk
  • Slip and fall over a hazard on the floor
  • Slip and fall on a pothole in the parking lot
  • Slip and fall on food spilled on the floor

 

As you can see, slip and fall accidents at Dollar General stores can be caused by various issues that the property owner or other entity are responsible for ensuring are not present. When a hazard is present, the store needs to remediate it as soon as possible in order to prevent accidents from happening. When they fail to do so, and someone suffers an injury, they can be held liable in the accident for damages suffered by the victim.

 

What Damages Can be Recovered in a Dollar Store Accident Lawsuit?

 

Those who have been injured in an accident at a Family Dollar or Dollar General will ultimately want to know if they can recover compensation for their injuries. The simple answer is yes, they can. In order for a negligence claim to be successful, the plaintiff will need to show that they suffered an injury, that the injury led to damages, and that the injury was caused by the negligent actions or inactions of someone associated with the dollar store in question. Those injured in a dollar store accident can recover the following damages:

 

  • Medical expenses (hospital bills, ambulatory bills, medical equipment bills, prescription costs, etc)
  • Costs to renovate your home if you require a wheelchair for your injuries (permanent)
  • Current and future lost wages
  • Pain and suffering

 

The most difficult damage to quantify is pain and suffering because it does not leave a physical mark on the body like all other injuries. Victims of accidents often suffer emotional trauma that affects them for a significant period after the accident. A diagnosis from a doctor helps victims receive compensation for their pain and suffering.

 

How a Dollar Store Lawyer Can Help

 

Dollar store owners and landlords have a duty to provide a safe shopping experience for all customers, vendors, and others (delivery personnel, mail carriers, etc) who visit the store during normal operating hours. If there are risks of harm present on the property or in the store, the company must provide the adequate warnings in an effort to avoid accidents. These warnings can include closing an aisle to customers, placing hazard signs near spills, taping off dangerous areas and even making announcements over the loudspeaker to inform visitors of danger areas.

 

With the help of a dollar store lawyer, those injured in an accident at a Dollar General, Dollar Tree, or Family Dollar can recover compensation for their pain and suffering, lost wages, and medical expenses so long as the injury was through no fault of their own. If you or a loved one has been injured in a dollar store accident, be sure to speak with an experienced personal injury or premises liability attorney about your situation. Suffering an injury at the hands of someone else’s actions or inactions can leave you in a serious financial predicament, especially if the injury is serious enough to cause you to miss time at work. A lawyer will work hard to hold the responsible parties accountable and help you obtain the compensation needed to continue your life without the worry of going into debt.