Walmart is the largest retailer in the world. It even has a Walmart Neighborhood Market in Thousand Oaks. Given the number of stores that Walmart operates, slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall accidents happen on its properties on a daily basis. Those are usually the result of dangerous conditions that develop on them. The injuries that are suffered in those accidents can be serious. For example, they can consist of traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, fractures, facial injuries, joint damage and musculoskeletal injuries. What comes to issue is the fact that Walmart only wants to pay out as little as possible or nothing at all on falls that occur from dangerous conditions on its properties. It even established a sister company known as Claims Management, Inc. to administer over claims for personal injury accidents that occur on Walmart properties.
Common Causes of Walmart Slip-and-Falls and Trip-and-Falls
Customer slip-and-falls or trip-and-falls at the Walmart Neighborhood Market in Thousand Oaks can happen for a variety of reasons. Here are a few of them:
- Wet or oily surfaces.
- Products that are spilled by employees or other customers.
- Excess wax on floors.
- Holes depressions or otherwise uneven walking surfaces in parking lots or on sidewalks or floors.
- Packing materials left on floors.
- Protruding display edges.
CMI’s Strategy
Under no circumstances is CMI going to admit fault for a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accident. It wants to lull a claimant into knowingly and willingly sharing all pertinent information about his or her accident in return for illusory assurances that it will be taking care of everything. In fact, Walmart will be using that information against the claimant to defend against his or her personal injury claim. After it gets what it wants, claimants are routinely treated with utter indifference. Phone calls go unanswered and written correspondence isn’t responded to. Claimants become frustrated, and if they don’t retain a quality Thousand Oaks slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall attorney, they’ll either settle for next to nothing or simply give up.
Never Give CMI a Statement
CMI adjusters will go to extraordinary lengths to try and get a written or recorded statement from a Walmart slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall victim. A typical adjuster strategy is to threaten to close a claim file without a statement. Closing your claim file has no legal effect at all. Under California law, you can still file a personal injury lawsuit against Walmart within two years of the date of the accident. Don’t give CMI any type of a statement at all. It will only use your own words against you in the future. Don’t bother copying and mailing your medical bills and records to CMI either. It has no intention of fairly compensating you for your injuries and damages. You’re only giving it more information that it can use to defend against your claim.
What to Do After Being Injured in a Thousand Oaks Walmart Slip-and-Fall or Trip-and-Fall
After suffering injuries in a Thousand Oaks slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall at Walmart Neighborhood Market, the following is what you should try to do:
- Determine what caused your fall.
- Take photos of the condition or otherwise document it.
- Get witness contact information if they’re willing to give it.
- Demand footage of appropriate security film.
- Report the accident to management, complete a report and get a copy of it.
- Get to an urgent care center or emergency room and follow all instructions.
- Contact our offices for a free consultation and case review as soon as you leave.
Contact a Ventura County Personal Injury Attorney Today.
Indeed, unreasonably delaying or denying your claim will frustrate you. That’s exactly the position that Walmart and CMI want to put you in. Then, you’ll give up the information that they want, but you can expect to only be offered nuisance compensation, if anything at all. Rather than being treated unfairly, contact us at Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys, APC for that free consultation and case review. We know how to get the attention of Walmart and CMI and get you the most compensation for your injuries and damages that you deserve.