Seattle Shopping Mall Injury Attorneys
Shopping malls host thousands of customers and visitors every day. With all of those people moving about, there are bound to be a few accidents. But if an accident is the result of a dangerous condition created by the mall owner’s negligence, then the victims may have the right to demand compensation for their injuries.
If you have been injured while shopping in a shopping center or strip mall, it is always a good idea to consider all of your legal options. A qualified lawyer can help. At the Emerald Law Group, we represent clients who have sustained serious and often life-threatening injuries in slip and fall, trip and fall, and other accidents while shopping at a shopping mall, strip mall, or similar shopping center. We can assist you in valuing a potential legal claim and dealing with property owners and insurance companies on your behalf–and if necessary, pursue civil litigation in court.
Has a Mall Owner’s Negligence Caused You Injuries?
All commercial property owners in Washington have a legal duty to keep their premises reasonably safe for any outside persons who have a legitimate reason to visit the property. The law imposes the highest duty in this regard to “invitees,” which includes patrons of a shopping mall. With respect to invitees, the mall owner must take prompt corrective action when notified of a potential safety hazard. On top of that, ownership and management need to be proactive in identifying potential hazards. For example, instead of waiting for someone to report spilled liquid in a store aisle, management needs to have a policy of regularly inspecting all aisles for possible spills.
Shopping malls can contain a wide range of potential safety hazards. This only highlights the responsibility of management and ownership to perform their due diligence. Some of the more common hazards that can lead to shopping mall accidents include:
- liquid or other slippery substances on store aisles;
- improperly secured merchandise falling from store shelves;
- malfunctioning escalators and elevators;
- cracked pavement on sidewalks leading to the mall’s entrances;
- poor lighting in the mall’s parking lot;
- debris and improperly secured equipment due to mall construction or renovations;
- improperly maintained dressing rooms;
- burn injuries or food poisoning in mall food courts; and
- negligent security leading to criminal activities, such as robbery, theft, or assault.
Even when one of these hazardous conditions is present, that alone does not prove that the mall owner owes an accident victim damages. The mall or their insurance company can turn around and try to shift blame to the victim. Washington follows a “comparative negligence” rule in personal injury cases, which means a court may reduce or eliminate any award of damages if it finds the plaintiff was at-fault for what happened. This is yet another reason it is important to work with a personal injury attorney with experience in bringing claims against malls and their management companies.
Contact Emerald Law Today
Shopping at the mall should never be a dangerous or potentially life-threatening experience. But if you have suffered injuries and believe that the property ownership’s negligence was to blame, it is best to speak with a skilled Seattle shopping mall injury lawyer as soon as possible. Contact the Emerald Law Group today to schedule an initial consultation.
