While shopping at Seattle stores, people expect that they will be able to find and purchase certain items. They also expect that they will be safe while in the store. For better or worse, customers generally focus on what they are looking for and not always what may be on the floors.
Unfortunately, customers may slip on a wet surface or trip over an object that should not be in the middle of the floor. Objects may fall off shelves and accidents could occur in other ways. The store owners may be liable for compensating the victims for these slip-and-fall accidents, but in order to be liable for the injury, there are certain requirements that must be met.
Elements to prove liability for slip-and-fall accidents
To be liable for the victim must prove certain elements. These elements are:
- The store owner knew about the dangerous condition or should have known about it and known that it posed a danger to customers
- The owner must have known the dangerous condition was in a location where customers would be permitted to go
- The owner must have realized that the dangerous condition could harm people and that customers would not be aware of the danger
- The owner must have neglected to correct the dangerous condition or warn others about it
While many accidents in retail stores are not serious, some injuries may require medical treatment and can prevent the injured from working and doing other daily activities. The victims should not be left paying for these expenses when it was the store owners’ negligence that caused the accident.
Proving all the elements necessary to prove liability can be complicated. Experienced attorneys understand these elements and may be able to guide one through the process.