Even if you’ve never been in a Walmart, you’ve undoubtedly heard of the retailer. As of 2019, Walmart Inc. operates more than 11,000 stores in at least 27 countries. By revenue, it’s the world’s largest company. Its stock sells well over $110 per share, and its 2019 revenue is projected to be more than $500 billion.
Walmart also owns and operates Sam’s Club. Sam’s has more than 600 discount club warehouses in the United States. Walmart and Sam’s have more than 1.5 million employees, most of them working on a part-time basis. Try and find one when you need one.
Slip and Fall Injury at Walmart
But, since Walmart is such a large entity with so many stores, this often means one thing: negligence. When a company grows to this size, it often becomes complacent and fails to properly maintain the layout of its stores. A slip and fall can happen anywhere, but we see an uptick in “The Walmart Slip.” Suppose wires are left out astray on the ground. In that case, liquid spills aren’t promptly cleaned up and tried, or merchandise is left haphazardly lying in the aisles, fall injuries are bound to occur if something happens to you while in the store. You might consider filing a slip-and-fall lawsuit against Walmart. Filing a lawsuit is the best way to hold a Walmart store accountable for the injuries they caused due to their negligence. A personal injury lawsuit aims to hold a reckless, careless, indifferent, or otherwise simply negligent party accountable for the damage they caused. Our personal injury attorneys are skilled and experienced in this unique type of lawsuit, and we pride ourselves on creating a solid attorney-client relationship with everyone we help.Claims Management, Inc.
Walmart is inundated with personal injury claims. The majority of those claims involve slip-and-falls and trip-and-falls in parking lots and inside of stores. The company has so many injury claims that it has established its entity for the purpose of avoiding or devaluing such claims. That company is called Claims Management, Inc. or CMI. It’s in existence solely to serve Walmart’s best interests. If you have a valid personal injury claim against Walmart, expect CMI to vigorously defend it, even if you file a lawsuit. Walmart stores rake in billions of dollars in sales every year. That means they have the resources and capital to fight back against every personal injury claim that comes against them. You may know that you have the right to defend yourself in court. But a Walmart slip-and-fall case will be difficult to win on your own, as Walmart has extensive resources to fight back. Schedule a free case evaluation with the Law Offices of Steers and Associates to recoup compensation for your lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering. A fall claim is hard to fight for on your own--especially when you’re up against more than just the store manager.Reporting a Trip and Fall Injury to Walmart
You should report your trip-and-fall to Walmart immediately and complete a written injury report if physically possible. Just give your name, contact information and a short description of what happened. A representative from CMI will contact you after that. He or she might sound concerned, and you might even understand his or her remarks as a willingness to pay your medical bills. CMI has no intention of paying you anything though unless it’s some nuisance money to go away. The purpose of the phone call is for CMI to obtain information from you that will help it in building its defense against you. That includes obtaining a recorded statement from you. Here’s how to properly document your slip and fall injury at Walmart:- Get medical help: Even if you feel fine, double-check. It doesn’t hurt to see a doctor or take yourself to the emergency room to ensure you’re medically well. Plus, it’s important to remember that some injuries are latent, meaning that you may not feel them immediately but could in the near future. If you suffer a Walmart slip and fall and don’t go to the emergency room, but your back starts hurting in the next few days, it could be challenging to tie that injury back to your accident. A personal injury case relies on evidence to prove negligence, so be sure to get medical attention as soon as you can.
- Report the injury: If you’re medically able to do so, contact a staff member and have them get a manager right away. Tell the manager that you fell due to conditions in the store and that you need to file a formal accident report with the retailer. If you suffered injuries, don’t neglect this crucial step.
- Collect evidence: To tie your medical expenses back to the accident, you and your lawyer must collect evidence. Take as many pictures from the scene of the accident as you can. If you have broken bones or other serious injuries, your medical records will serve as evidence, but accident claims need more to prove negligence. Take photos in the aisle of the Walmart store where you fell. Include photos of any hazards in the area as well as photos of your injuries, if possible. Talk to anyone who noticed the fall victim slip, and be sure to get their witness testimony in the form of a recorded statement.
- Call a Walmart slip and fall lawyer: Liability claims can mean the difference between recovering fully or struggling financially after an accident. Personal injury lawyers are here to protect those hurt in accidents and defend them against the relentless legal team Walmart will come equipped with. We offer a free legal consultation for anyone who needs a fall attorney and will take the time to listen to the unique circumstances of your accident, providing a clear path to move forward. We will handle any call from your insurance company and promise to be the best Los Angeles Walmart personal injury lawyers available for you.
The Statement & Your Privacy
No matter what CMI’s representative says, never agree to provide that individual with a recorded statement about your accident and injuries under any circumstances. California law doesn’t require you to give a statement of any kind. The purpose of that statement is to use your own words against you in the future. Walmart’s attorneys have the right to take your deposition if a lawsuit is filed, but the distinguishing factor is that in a deposition, if we’re retained, you will have an attorney with you to protect you. There is no such protection if you give a recorded statement. Rather than giving that statement, politely refuse to do so, and call us instead. If were retained, you’ll never hear from CMI again. We’ll deal with them on your behalf. The CMI representative will also mail you a medical authorization to sign and return. Don’t sign or return it. Throw it out. Not only does the authorization give CMI blanket authority to search your medical records to the time of your birth, but it also allows CMI to share medical information about you with any person or entity it chooses to share it with. Don’t give up your right to privacy about your health history.Trying to Devalue Your Claim
CMI could use any means possible to try and get you to go away cheaply and quickly. It’s arguments might include the following:- Your injuries were pre-existing.
- You’re exaggerating the extent of your injuries or malingering.
- Medical treatment that you received was not necessary.
- You could have returned to work sooner.
- You’re not telling the truth about material facts.
