Even before the post-COVID inflation spike, dollar stores have been a popular shopping destination for many people. Dollar General is one of the best-known discount store chains in the United States, with over 18,000 locations throughout the country. While you can always find a great deal at these places, you may also run into hazards that can cause you to have an accident. Most of these incidents are due to the store’s failure to maintain safety standards, like removing items that people can trip over and ensuring that the shelves are not overflowing with merchandise. Unfortunately, failure to exercise reasonable care is the number one reason for in-store accidents, such as:
- Slip and fall
- Trip and fall
- Shopping cart injuries
- Hit by falling object
- Parking lot accidents
- Assault and battery
As an accident victim, you may have filed an incident claim already for the injuries you’ve suffered at a Dollar General location. At the very least, you are considering the possibility of a lawsuit and have many questions on your mind, including “How long does it take to settle a Dollar General store accident case?”
Our Recent Verdicts and Settlements
$2.5 Million
$1.1 Million
$1.5 Million
$600,000
$525,000
$734,851
How Long Does It Take to Settle a Case against Dollar General?
Though we can’t predict how long it will take to settle your case, we know from experience that store accident injury claims usually take around a few months to one or more years to resolve. Most cases at our law firm are settled within 6 to 10 months, though it’s possible that a settlement may be achieved in just a few weeks. However, claims with serious complications, like paralysis and brain injury, may take longer to negotiate due to the higher case values. Depending on whether a case goes to trial, up to several years may be needed to secure a fair settlement on behalf of the client.
To learn more about the issues that can impact the timeline to settle your case, contact our office to speak with a Dollar General store accident injury lawyer.
Factors that Contribute to the Settlement Process
As each case has its own set of circumstances, there are many elements that can add to the process of obtaining compensation from an injury claim. Here are some of the factors that can play a role in the settlement process:
- How long it takes you to reach maximum medical improvement (MMI)
MMI refers to the point of recovery where no further improvement can be expected from an injury. Some people reach MMI within a few weeks, while it can take others many months to get to that point. Why is this important? Until you’ve hit a plateau in your recovery from an accident, it’s impossible to anticipate the total amount of medical expenses, lost income, and other forms of compensation that you are entitled to.
- Good faith negotiations by the insurance company
Securing a favorable settlement requires back and forth negotiations with Dollar General’s insurance company. Hopefully, the insurer is willing to work towards a fair compensation amount. But if it’s clear that the company is engaging in stall tactics and other forms of manipulation, we will take further action through a lawsuit and other legal measures.
- Degree of negligence by Dollar General
There are varying degrees of negligence that can be blamed on store owners and employees, and this is a crucial factor in how long it may take to reach a settlement. Exceptionally negligent behavior, like hiring an employee with a criminal record, can make you eligible for additional payments from a lawsuit against the store. This can lead to increased efforts by the store to deny liability, as their main interest lies in settling your claim for as little as possible.
- If your lawsuit can be settled before the trial date
If negotiations with the insurance company are not possible, moving on to a lawsuit is usually the best option. However, many people are afraid that suing the store will automatically result in a trial. That’s usually not the case, as most premises liability lawsuits are settled through court-ordered mediation. In the event your case does go to trial, it can take 2 or more years to prepare for a court hearing and present the necessary evidence in order to obtain a jury verdict.
Compensation from a Store Accident Settlement Award
Though you will receive one check from a successful lawsuit against Dollar General, this amount is based on the total sum of various payments, which are classified as
economic and non-economic damages. Our job it to ensure that you receive adequate compensation for each of these damages, which may include:
- Cost of medical treatments
- Lost wages / compensation for PTO and lost work benefits
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Property damage
- Legal fees
- Punitive damages
Value of a Dollar General Store Accident Injury Settlement
Along with how long it takes to recover your payment, you may have questions about how much you are entitled to from a store injury accident claim. Though many people ask us for average case values, this is not a great way to determine what you will end up with once your case is resolved. The cause of your accident, the injuries you’ve sustained, and many other factors must be examined in order to derive an approximate case value.
However, we do want to give you a sense of possible settlement values based on the most common sources of injury at a Dollar General store. For slip and fall and trip and fall cases, the majority of settlements recovered by our attorneys fall between $250,000 and $3 million. The range is similar for accidents with falling objects, which we would place at $175,000 to $2.75 million. Incidents of assault and battery may be worth $100,000 to $3 million and up depending on the degree of physical injury and emotional trauma. To learn what your case is worth for being injured at a Dollar General store, call us right away for a free case evaluation.
How Long do I Have to File a Lawsuit?
For cases involving premises liability (negligence by a property owner / business), the deadline to file a lawsuit is two years. Normally, you have two years from the date of the incident, though there are limited circumstances that will buy you more time. But these are very rare cases, so it’s best to file a claim as soon as possible following an accident at a Dollar General store. We can confirm how much time you have to file a lawsuit and make sure that your paperwork is filed in a timely manner, so don’t hesitate to call us for assistance.
What Can I Do if My Case is Taking Too Long to Settle?
It can often seem like your case is taking too long to settle, and frankly, we would have to agree that the legal process can be quite slow and arduous at times. While we are always here to provide guidance and encouragement to our clients, we know that it can be frustrating to wait for a settlement you are entitled to by law. It’s particularly upsetting when your lawyer is not there for you with the time and attention you deserve as an accident victim. If you’re being ignored by your attorney or do not agree with the steps that they’re taking, it may be time to discuss your legal options with another lawyer. Our law firm provides free second opinions on active Dollar General accident cases, so please contact us for a free evaluation on your case.
Contact Normandie Law Firm
It’s fortunate that there are laws in place to compensate people who have been injured by someone else’s careless or reckless conduct. But the process of obtaining a fair settlement award can be very challenging when you have little to no experience with the legal system. That’s why legal representation is the best course of action for injury victims, but what if you can’t afford to hire an attorney?
Here at Normandie Law Firm, clients never pay upfront to hire a lawyer with experience in lawsuits against stores and other commercial properties. The cost of legal representation is billed to the client and paid to us at the end of your case. We only receive payment if we win your case, so if we fail to recover your settlement, you won’t be responsible for any legal fees under the Zero Fee Guarantee.
If you have any questions or concerns that you’d like to discuss with one of our attorneys, contact us today and schedule a free consultation.
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