Los Angeles Vons Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer – Steers & Associates

Vons is an old and established Southern California and Southern Nevada grocery store business with hundreds of locations. It was independently owned for more than 60 years, and it was then sold to Household Finance Corporation. Safeway then purchased Vons in 1997, and it was sold to Albertsons in 2015.

The Duty

Owners and occupiers of commercial properties in California have a duty to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition and free from hazards that might cause injury to members of the general public who come onto the property. A breach of that duty that causes injuries to a shopper is likely to result in liability for damages.

Trips Aren’t Slips

Trip-and-falls are usually classified as slip-and-falls, but the mechanics of the accidents and the nature of the injuries resulting from the accidents are entirely different. In California, claims and lawsuits involving falls from slips and trips are governed by the laws of premises liability and negligence. What comes to issue is the fact that the difference between slipping and tripping and then falling totally changes the approach to an accident and injuries.

Slip-and-Fall Injuries

In the context of grocery stores, slip-and-falls are ordinarily caused by diminished friction with one or both of a victim’s feet and a walking surface. One or both of the person’s feet will slip out and up which usually causes the victim to fall backward. Injuries typically include the following:

• Fractures to the rear of the skull and traumatic brain injuries.
• Traumatic spinal cord injuries.
• Injuries to the spinal discs and vertebrae.
• Scapula fractures.
• Elbow dislocations and fractures.

When a trip-and-fall occurs, the victim usually falls forward from catching his or her foot on a walking surface that is uneven. In the context of grocery stores, trips might be caused by shelving or racks used for displaying merchandise, merchandise that is left in an aisle, extension cords, uneven slabs of concrete or uneven floor times. The victim’s foot encounters unexpected resistance that causes him or her to fall forward. Here are some of the injuries that are typically suffered in a trip-and-fall:

• Frontal skull fractures and burst wounds.
• Facial fractures and injuries.
• Jaw fractures and temporomandibular joint injuries.
• Chipped, fractured or lost teeth.
• Hand and wrist fractures.
• Elbow dislocations and fractures.
• Shoulder and knee injuries.

Duration of the Hazard

In keeping with their duty to maintain their premises free from hazardous conditions that might injure the public, owners and operators of grocery stores like Vons must regularly inspect the premises for hazards that have recently arisen. Once a dangerous condition is discovered, it must be repaired or remedied as soon as possible. In the interim, the public must be warned of the condition. A pivotal fact that distinguishes trip-and-fall hazards from slip-and-fall hazards is that the trip and fall hazards often last longer. Uneven surfaces will take longer to repair or remedy than a spill. That fact can be useful in proving liability in that the grocer either knew or should have known about the condition that caused the victim’s trip-and-fall accident and injuries.

What to Do

After being injured in a trip-and-fall or slip-and-fall at a Vons or any other commercial property, have somebody notify management immediately. The manager will complete an accident form. Give your name, address, contact information and the nature of the hazard only. That’s all that Vons needs to know at that time. After that, insist on calling 911 for paramedics and an ambulance if they’re needed. Then, contact our offices for a free consultation and case evaluation.

Never Give a Statement

If the insurer of Vons gets to you before you get to us, it’s representative will want a recorded statement about how your accident occurred. The insurer already knows what happened. The purpose of the statement is to try to get information from you that can be used against you in the future. No matter what the insurer’s representative says, California law doesn’t require you to give any type of a statement to an opposing insurer. Politely refuse to give one, and call us immediately. If we’re retained to represent you in your claim or lawsuit, you’ll never hear from that insurer again.