Slip and Fall Refrigerator Leak Lawsuit
A slip and fall accident can happen anywhere and for almost any reason. There may be torn carpeting present in your workplace or the stairs at your apartment building may be eroding. You can easily get injured from these hazards. Often, people do notice these dangers early enough that they do not suffer any injuries, but occasionally, they are not so lucky. Slip and fall accidents caused by leaky refrigerators are some of the incidents that may suddenly occur. It is not often that we check the area near the refrigerator for hazards, and as a result, you can trip on puddles and wet areas. It is important that you identify the cause of the leak and determine if there is any liability on the behalf of the manufacture or the property owner. Our team of lawyers at Kenmore Law Group can help you figure out who is responsible for the incident.
What are some injuries that can happen from leaky refrigerator slip and fall accidents?
The risk of injuries in slip and fall accidents is fairly high. You may suddenly find yourself on your back after your feet went out from under you. It is more likely for elderly individuals to suffer serious injuries from slip and fall accidents because they are slower to break their falls or may already have years of wear and tear or damage on their bodies. No matter what, though, if you were hurt, it is recommended that you seek legal assistance.
You may sustain the following kinds of injuries:
- Concussion
- Traumatic brain injury
- Neck and spinal cord injuries
- Herniated disc
- Broken bones
- Torn muscles
- Nerve damage
- Sprains
- Strains
- Dislocations
- Bruising and hematoma
- Fractures
- Hip injuries
- Paralysis
These damages can be severe or long lasting. It is possible that you will suffer injuries while you are by yourself with no one else around, which can lengthen the time it takes to get treatment and cause your health to worsen.
Where do leaky refrigerator slip and fall accidents happen?
Anywhere there is a refrigerator, there can be a slip and fall accident. This is because the refrigerator may defrost overnight or here may be a power surge that kills that power and makes it so you can’t turn on any appliances on that fuse. The accidents usually occur in kitchens, but it is not limited to that area in your home. Other locations include:
Supermarkets
Supermarkets have numerous refrigerators for their cool and frozen items. They may be standing freezers or refrigerators that are low to the ground. In supermarkets, the floor is tiled and generally very slick if there is a leak. A leaky refrigerator can create a puddle that is almost invisible to the eye, especially if you are not actively looking or it. You may be browsing the aisles and searching for a specific item, not paying attention to what’s around you or what’s on the floor. Supermarket workers have to come to the sites of the spills and clean them or place hazard signs that alert shoppers to the dangers, but sometimes they either forget the signs or do not show up at all.
Hotel
A hotel refrigerator is usually very small and can be located anywhere. It may be next to the bathroom or it may be in the lounge area; larger hotel suites may have a small kitchenette instead. A leaky refrigerator in a hotel is liable to cause slip and falls if the kitchenette has sleek floors or tile. It is more common to slip and fall in a hotel because you are very unfamiliar with the layout and may not know where the potentially dangerous areas are.
Motel
Similar to hotels, motels have refrigerators that could be in specific locations that would create hazards if there were leaks. Further, the refrigerators may not be properly maintained or repaired, as motels are generally populated by people staying over for a single night. The property owner may not care enough to ensure the fridges are perfectly working. Slip and fall accidents in motels are equally as dangerous as those in hotels, though. Both can happen to you while you are by yourself, and if you are unable to get help immediately or call for assistance, your damages could greatly worsen, even in that short amount of time.
Apartment
A refrigerator leak in an apartment can be caused due to the lack of maintenance by the landlord. When you move into an apartment, it is important that your landlord ensures that all appliances are in working order. If the refrigerator is leaky, you may suddenly come home and slip on a puddle that you were not expecting to be there. This could happen at night as well if you wake up to use the bathroom or get a drink of water. If you slip and fall in your apartment because of a leaky refrigerator, you may be able to sue your landlord for damages.
$465,000
Slip & Fall
$500,000
Premises Liability
$525,000
Head Trauma
$200,000
Medical malpractice
$599,000
Slip And Fall Accident
$600,000
Shoulder Injury
What should I do to file a slip and fall accident lawsuit?
If you wish to file a slip and fall accident claim, you will need a fair amount of evidence n you side. This evidence can be taken from the site of the accident and from other relevant sources, such as the medical center you visited. We recommend following these steps to ensure that your case is handled appropriately:
First go to the doctor for medical help. You should not hesitate to get treatment, as a long gap between the incident and your treatment can indicate that you were hurt elsewhere. You should also think about your health – the longer you wait to get treatment, the more likely it is your damages will worsen. While at the doctor, hold on to receipts, notes, medication, MRI and X-ray results, and anything else that proves you went to the doctor and got help.
Next, take photos of everything you can, like your injuries, the leak, the scene of the accident, and more. If there is video footage available, such as in a supermarket, you should try to acquire it. This is a crucial piece of evidence because the leak will almost certainly be fixed once you broach the subject with the property owner.
If any eyewitnesses saw you fall on the leak from the refrigerator, ask them for their testimonies and statements to add to your claim.
You should file an incident report with the business or with the property owner to let him know about the accident. Do not file this until you have taken photos, though, as he is likely to erase the leak, which will remove your potential evidence and his liability.
Upon getting this evidence together, you should call a slip and fall attorney for assistance. We’ll be able to submit the demand letter to the insurance agency and negotiate a fair deal from the agent. You might not have any legal experience, which can greatly work against you. Let us work on your case while you recover from your injuries.
How long is the statute of limitations for slip and fall accidents?
Slip and fall accidents due to leaky refrigerators have a statute of limitations of 2 years from the date of the injury. It is important that you take action in that time frame – if you fail to do so, you will not be able to receive any compensation for your injuries. The sooner you act, the more likely it is that your evidence will not be lost, for instance.
It is possible that your statute of limitations can extend past the deadline. This is common in scenarios in which the victim is a minor, left incapacitated, or cannot contact the defendant because he left the state. The statute would be postponed until the victim turns legal age, returns to health, or the defendant returns to California, respectively.
What can I get as compensation from a leaky refrigerator slip and fall?
The amount of compensation you can receive from a slip and fall accident if you were hurt due to a leaky refrigerator will depend on the insurance agent’s interpretation of the facts of the case. He will measure your injuries, their severity, the impact they had on your life and career, your responsibility in the accident, and more. The goal of our attorneys is to bring you the maximum settlement through relentless negotiations. We will see to it that you receive:
- Medical bills from the past and future
- Property damage
- Lost wages from the past and future
- Pain and suffering damages
The Best Los Angeles Firm
Kenmore Law Group has handled hundreds of slip and fall lawsuits over the years, and we are no stranger to leaky refrigerator injury claims. We know how to win, and our clients are always satisfied when we take on their cases. We have recovered hundreds of millions for them and will stop at nothing to secure you a fair settlement.
Call our offices if you need to discuss your claim or receive free legal advice in a consultation. We will tell you what we believe the value of your claim is and how we can move forward. If you hire us, we’ll ensure you pay no fees out of pocket. We don’t get paid unless and until we win thanks to our zero fee guarantee. You don’t touch your personal accounts or savings at all throughout the case.
Let Kenmore Law Group handle your leaky refrigerator slip and fall accident lawsuit today.
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