I Had A Slip and Fall at Countryside Mall; What Can I Do?

Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers | Slip and Fall

A visit to the Countryside Mall in Clearwater, Florida, should end with a trip home in a car filled with new merchandise-–not a trip to a hospital in an ambulance. If you suffer a slip and fall accident at Countryside Mall, however, knowing what to do next can help you protect your rights and demand the personal injury compensation you deserve. 

The Immediate Aftermath

Take the following actions, to the extent that you are able to, in the immediate aftermath of your slip and fall accident:

  • Move yourself out of harm’s way: Get off of any escalator and move out of the way of traffic lanes so other shoppers won’t run into you. Try to move to as safe a location as possible.
  • Determine how seriously you’ve been injured: If you discover that you are seriously hurt, call 911. Even if your injuries seem minor, you need to seek medical attention soon after. They might not be as minor as they seem.
  • Report the incident: Notify a store employee or mall security guard. Tell them exactly what happened. Obtain the names and contact details of everyone you talk to.
  • Gather evidence: Photograph the scene of the accident with your smartphone. Photograph the area where you fell, including any hazards such as an uneven surface or poor lighting). Photograph your injuries.
  • Locate any witnesses: Try to get the names and contact information of any witnesses, especially shoppers (as opposed to mall staff).
  • Seek medical attention: That doesn’t just mean first aid at the scene. It means going to the hospital. This way, a neutral third party (the hospital) can document your injuries with medical records.

Among all of these actions, seeking medical attention is the most important for both medical and legal reasons.

Determine the Cause of the Accident 

Slip and fall accidents at shopping malls can occur for a variety of reasons:

  • Changes in elevation without clear markings or handrails.
  • Walkways cluttered with merchandise.
  • Cracked or uneven flooring.
  • Electrical cords running across walkways.
  • Escalator and elevator malfunctions. 
  • Inadequate lighting.
  • Loose rugs or mats
  • Potholes in the parking lot
  • Wet or slippery floors.
  • Inadequate warning signs.

There are dozens of other possible causes of slip-and-fall accidents at malls and shopping centers.

Dealing with Defendants and Insurance Companies 

The most common defendants in mall slip and fall cases are mall management, shop owners or operators, equipment maintenance companies (for escalators, for example), and manufacturers of defective equipment. 

Nevertheless, it is an insurance company that will probably pay out your claim. You’ll probably end up negotiating an out-of-court settlement with general liability, premises liability, or commercial property insurance companies. If you are an employee, you’ll probably end up dealing with workers’ compensation insurance.

If you’re negotiating a settlement and you have a strong personal injury claim, you might want to consider filing a lawsuit as soon as settlement negotiations stall. This will give you access to the powerful pretrial discovery process, where you can demand evidence that is in the mall’s possession. This tactic alone might put you in a strong enough bargaining position to demand a settlement on your terms.

Don’t ever forget–under Florida’s modified comparative negligence system, you can lose some or all of your compensation if the accident was partly your fault (you were intoxicated, for example). You can be sure the insurance company will do their best to exploit this. 

Don’t Try to Handle a Serious Slip and Fall Injury Without the Help of a Clearwater Personal Injury Lawyer

A skilled and experienced Clearwater, Florida, personal injury lawyer can provide invaluable support in ways you may not have even considered. It’s not simply about “winning” or “losing” a case—the true goal is to secure compensation that fully addresses all of the losses you’ve experienced as a result of the accident.

If you’re worried about attorney’s fees, now this much–under the contingency fee system, you only pay attorney’s fees if you win. Even then, the amount of your fees equals a pre-agreed portion of your winnings. Essentially, it is the defendant (or, more likely, their insurance company) who pays your legal fees, not you.

If you have been injured in a slip and fall in Countryside Mall, contact Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers as soon as possible to schedule a free consultation. 

Contact the Pinellas County Slip & Fall Law Firm Of Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers for Help

We serve Pinellas County and its surrounding areas:

Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers – Clearwater
1875 N Belcher Rd. STE 201,
Clearwater, FL 33765
(727) 796-8282

Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers – St. Petersburg
2560 1st Ave S,
St. Petersburg, FL 33712
(727) 349-1728

For more information, please contact the Clearwater and St. Petersburg slip and fall law firm of Perenich, Caulfield, Avril & Noyes Personal Injury Lawyers at the nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.