Retailers will attempt to mitigate costs of insurance claims, sometimes to the detriment of those injured in a slip and fall incident at their store says Kaplan Lawyers PC
Slip and fall injuries can have long term effects, especially for older consumers. They happen without warning and the impact often is on a hard surface like tile or cement.
The damage to the body can include everything from muscle strains from trying to catch oneself before impact to more severe soft tissue injuries, fractures or even head trauma from the fall itself.
Those injured by a fall in a store should be aware that the costs for their medical care and other treatment needs, or wages from lost work time, can run high. Retailers will try to avoid paying those costs, so the injured need strong legal representation to fight on their behalf.
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Retailers also don’t want to draw attention to a fall that happened in their store because it can harm their reputation.
From his experience with slip and fall cases, John Tucker, the Director of Claims Management at Kaplan Lawyers, can attest to this typical pattern. “Store management trying to hush up a slip and fall incident is widespread because it can hurt sales and customer traffic.”
Tucker adds, “When injuries are severe, medical bills can add up quickly for the victim of a fall, and lost time at work means less income. That’s why getting full compensation in an injury claim matters.”
Stores typically have insurance for risks to their customers, but sometimes their management will try to get the customer to waive any kind of claim for a quick settlement and an immediate rush to the hospital.
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The hope is that the customer won’t ultimately claim a bigger cost down the road after a full medical evaluation.
Customers who have suffered a fall should avoid agreeing to any claim settlement without consideration of all costs related to their injury. Otherwise, they may jeopardize their full recovery, especially when it turns out the injury may take extensive rehabilitation over time.
Sometimes legal representation is needed. A qualified attorney can stop the demands by the store to resolve the matter and negotiate with insurance companies to cover the full rehabilitation process.
