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ChatJust about no one expects to leave the grocery store with anything more than bags full of groceries. Certainly, no one expects to leave the grocery store in an ambulance for a three-day hospitalization after tripping and falling! Things like shopping at a local place of business don’t strike us as inherently dangerous. However, sometimes businesses fail to keep their premises safe for its customers. This is how we at Bottaro Injury Lawyers become involved in Rhode Island trip and fall accidents.
At Bottaro Injury Lawyers, we handle personal injury cases, like slip and falls, other premises liability cases, motor vehicle (car, truck, motorcycle, etc.) accidents, dog bites, and worker’s compensation disputes. While we don’t encourage our communities to worry about every little thing that could go wrong, our law practice often requires us to work with worst-case scenarios. If you find yourself injured because of someone else’s actions (on inactions), call us to discuss your case!
Today’s case highlight reviews a recent Rhode Island trip and fall case that occurred in a local grocery store. In the end, we were able to help our client take home $85,000.00 for her injuries!
Rhode Island Trip and Fall in a Local Grocery Store Results in Client’s 3-Day Hospitalization for Her Fractured Left Hip
One December afternoon, our then 66-year-old client was shopping for groceries. It was a store like any other, with aisles of products and large, open coolers that store and display refrigerated products for customers to purchase.
Our client was shopping from a cooler, specifically an endcap cooler. Once she picked up her groceries from the cooler, she turned the corner to place the items in her cart.
As she turned the corner, she suddenly tripped, fell, and landed directly on her left hip! When she looked up from her fall, she saw the culprit right away: a cooler protector that was inches away from the cooler it was meant to protect.
Pictured is one of the actual cooler protectors at the local grocery store. When our client turned the corner, her foot got caught between the cooler protector and the cooler itself. This caused her to land hard on her left hip.
The East Providence Fire Department arrived at the scene and immediately transported our client to Rhode Island Hospital. In the emergency room, doctors took X-rays and CT scans that ultimately confirmed her left hip fracture.
Our client did not leave the emergency department for three days. Trip and fall accidents often leave our clients with significant injuries and life-changing pain! In addition to feeling immediate pain at the time of her injury, our client discovered that she experienced pain when moving her leg, sitting down, and putting any weight on her left side.
Prior to this Rhode Island trip and fall, our client had never experienced left hip pain. Moving forward, she experienced pain in her hip, knee, and back, causing her to sleep abnormally, avoid stairs, and take breaks while completing basic daily tasks, like cooking. Needless to say, our client needed physical therapy for months after her trip and fall and still feels pain from time to time.
When is a Store Liable (At-Fault) for My Personal Injuries?
Proving that a store is at fault for your slip or trip is often difficult to do. Generally speaking, premises liability law in Rhode Island requires you to prove that a business violated their duty of reasonable care owed to its on-premises guests and patrons. This duty of care generally requires businesses to keep their stores free of dangerous conditions.
In our client’s case, the local grocery store left a dangerous gap between their coolers and cooler guards. This gap caused our client to trip and fall. It is important to work with your attorney to discuss the legally significant facts of your particular slip and fall case.
How Can Bottaro Injury Lawyers Help Me Begin the Settlement Process When I Sustain Personal Injuries?
If you sustain personal injuries from a dangerous condition, like improperly-placed cooler guards, make sure to assess your injuries and call for help. If possible, observe your surroundings for case details and witnesses. Once you are in stable condition, it is important to retain a skilled personal injury law firm to begin building the case.
Our client did the right thing by retaining us early in her recovery process. Among other things, we were able to document photographs of the problematic cooler protectors before the grocery store removed or fixed them. A very common occurrence in premises liability cases!
One of our case investigators was able to snap a photo of the actual cooler protector in question before the local grocery store replaced, fixed, or removed it.
Generally, we help our slip and fall clients by collecting evidence to build a compelling case against the at-fault business (or landlord). Once we’ve collected photos, witness statements, medical bills, etc., we draft and send a settlement demand letter to open negotiations. If the business’s insurance company does not agree with our assessment, we commence litigation against the business.
In this case, we were able to keep the courts out of the situation and negotiate a $85,000.00 payment to cover our client’s medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages!
It’s Good to Know Mike Bottaro – 24/7 Top-Rated Personal Injury Help
At Bottaro Injury Lawyers, we care for people. Attorney Mike Bottaro and his award-winning legal team handle all types of personal injury cases throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts. We can even help on cases in other states as well. We pride ourselves on our honesty, integrity, and results. Contact us 24/7 in any method you prefer for a fast, free, and confidential consultation about your case. Text or call us at 401-777-7777, or fill out our free and confidential online form. We are here to serve and help you!
