Injured during a Robbery at a Store Lawsuit Attorney

Going to a store or shopping mall is something most of us do quite frequently, and it’s taken for granted that we will be safe in these locations. However, a store can be prone to thefts and robberies, resulting in grave injuries for customers and staff members.

Were you injured during a robbery at a store? Are you an employee who sustained a workplace injury due to a robbery at a store? In that case, you must speak to a personal injury lawyer right away to learn about your legal options. If an act of negligence by the store resulted in a robbery, you can hold them responsible for your physical and mental injuries. If you are an employee at the store, you are eligible for a worker’s compensation claim for any injuries you sustained while performing your job duties. Our lawyers can explain your rights during a free consultation and ensure that you are properly compensated for your harm and suffering.

What is Robbery?

The terms theft, burglary, and robbery are often used interchangeably, but these words mean very different things, even though they’re related. Let’s examine the legal definition of each of these offenses:

• Theft

Theft simply refers to the taking of someone else’s property without their permission, with the intent to keep the property permanently. Most forms of theft do not involve violence or threats of violence.

• Burglary

Burglary refers to unlawfully entering a property with the intent to commit a crime. Usually, the crime is theft or robbery, but offenses like sexual assault may also be the reason for a burglary.

• Robbery

Robbery is a form of theft that involves violence, or the threat of violence. Even if there are no physical injuries, instilling fear in a victim to where they feel they’re in imminent danger still counts as robbery.

A common example of a burglary is a thief entering a convenience store and threatening the cashier with a weapon. Sometimes, there is no weapon, but the burglar may pretend to have one and exploit the worker’s fear of getting hurt in order to steal money from the cash register. Customers in the store will also be in fear of their lives, and the emotional trauma from such an incident cannot be underestimated. In fact, many lawsuits for robbery at a store or mall involve compensation for emotional distress, rather than physical injuries. However, physical injuries are certainly possible, including death.

If you have been harmed in a store or mall robbery, or lost a loved one to a robbery, please contact our office right away. It’s essential to understand your rights, which may include the right to file a lawsuit against the store or mall owner.
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Robbery Incidents in Stores and Shopping Malls

Believe it or not, around 50,000 businesses are robbed every year in the U.S., according to crime statistics by the FBI. These robberies can involve violence, like gunshot wounds, beatings, stabbings, kidnapping and sexual assault. But others involve little to no physical violence, as many customers and store workers will readily give the burglar whatever they want in exchange for their lives.

That doesn’t mean, however, that victims walk away without any injuries. If you believe someone is going to hurt or kill you, especially if you’re convinced they have a weapon, the fear you experience doesn’t go away after the robbery. It stays with you emotionally and affects your ability to feel safe in your surroundings. That can lead to mental health disorders such as:

• PTSD
• Agoraphobia
• Panic disorder
• Hypervigilance
• Separation anxiety

These conditions can cause intense physical symptoms, like chest pain and heart palpitations, which is why on-going treatment is necessary to manage the underlying disorder. Some burglary victims need treatment for many years, and they should not be burdened by the associated costs when someone else is liable for their pain and suffering.

But how do you determine if a store or mall is responsible for a robbery? The answer depends on whether you are an invitee (on the property for business reasons) or an employee of the store or shopping mall.

Can I Sue the Store or Mall if I was Injured during a Robbery?

If you are a customer or legitimate visitor at a store or mall and you were injured during a robbery, you may have grounds to sue the business for monetary damages. To qualify for a lawsuit, you would have to prove the following:

• Duty

The store had a duty of care to ensure your safety as a legitimate visitor on the premises.

• Breach

The store breached their duty to you through an act of negligence.

• Causation

The store or mall’s breach of duty led to a robbery that caused you physical and/or emotional injuries.

• Damages

Your injuries resulted in economic and non-economic damages, which entitle you to monetary compensation from the business owner.

The most important factor here is negligence, which means the store created a hazardous situation that led to an injury, or did not take reasonable measures to prevent an injury. In the context of a store or mall robbery, negligence normally has to do with lack of security. Security measures can take place in many forms, including security guards in a mall or shopping center. This may not be reasonable for smaller businesses, but they should still be equipped with surveillance cameras that can help deter robbers. Other examples of negligent security include:

• Untrained or insufficiently trained security personnel
• Unlocked doors or broken locks on doors
• Insufficient lighting / damaged lighting
• History of past robberies, and no attempts to heighten security measures
• Store is located in high crime area, but no attempts to improve security

Any one of these circumstances can attract burglars and create a situation where people are placed in harm’s way. As a crime victim due to negligence, you have the right to seek damages through an injury claim. While money doesn’t make up for what you’ve suffered, it can help pay for medical bills, lost wages, and other losses resulting from the attack. To learn more about the lawsuit process if you were robbed at a store or shopping mall, contact Normandie Law Firm and schedule a free consultation.

Can I File a Worker’s Compensation Claim for my Injuries?

Yes, you can file a claim for worker’s compensation if you were injured during a robbery at your place of work. This is different than a lawsuit, as you are entitled to compensation under federal and state laws simply for being injured during the course of your job duties. Worker’s compensations laws can be quite confusing, and people often come to us with questions such as:

• I was not in my office when I was robbed, but at another site where I was performing my job duties. Can I still qualify for worker’s compensation?
• What can I do if my worker’s compensation claim is denied?
• Can I sue my employer for my injuries during a robbery?

Our lawyers can assist you with these questions, along with any other concerns about your right to worker’s compensation. As for where you were injured, that shouldn’t be a factor, as the compensation is for work-related injuries. Thus, the real issue at hand is whether you were acting on behalf of your employer, i.e., performing a task / duty that is reasonably associated with your job. This is why sales people, as an example, can file a worker’s compensation claim, even if the injury occurred on a client’s property.

The issue of what to do if your claim is denied, and whether you can file a lawsuit is much more complicated. California law provides very few exceptions that will allow you to sue your employer, which our lawyers can go over with you in detail. However, a lawyer can still fight for your rights under the state’s worker’s comp laws and ensure that you receive the full range of benefits you are entitled to.

One exception that would allow for a lawsuit is a “third party case,” which refers to injuries that were caused by someone other than your employer. For example, let’s say you’re a security guard that works for a private firm, but you are assigned to guard a shopping mall. If the mall’s act of negligence or misconduct led to a robbery where you were injured, you may be able to sue the mall, even though your injuries are work-related.

As you can see, there are many issues that will affect the legal actions you can take if you are an injured worker. If you’re in need of an attorney that’s experienced with worker’s compensation claims, contact our office to schedule a free case evaluation.

Compensation from a Lawsuit against the Store or Shopping Mall

Through a robbery at a store or shopping mall lawsuit, you can recover a series of economic and non-economic damages, which are based on your injuries and personal circumstances. The specific damages you can request depend on whether you are a customer or legitimate visitor, which would allow you to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you are a worker, on the other hand, you will need to seek damages through a worker’s compensation claim and/or third party lawsuit. Possible payments from these actions include:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Lost earning capacity
• Temporary / permanent disability payments
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Property damage
• Punitive damages
• Loss of consortium
• Legal fees

If you lost a family member or loved one during a robbery at a store or mall, you may also have a case for compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit. As with an injury claim, you would have to show that your loved one’s death was directly linked to an act of negligence or misconduct by the store or a store employee. Through a wrongful death compensation claim, you may be able to recover:

• Medical expenses
• Funeral costs
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium
• Lost wages and savings
• Loss of benefits
• Legal fees

Our wrongful death attorneys can go over each of the damages with you and help you decide on the best course of action for you and your family. Though money cannot make up for your loss, a lawsuit can hold the liable parties accountable, while protecting you from financial hardship as a result of your loved one’s passing.

Schedule a Free Case Evaluation

If you’re in need of a lawyer that can help with an injury case during a robbery, please contact the attorneys of Normandie Law Firm. These cases are complex, and it’s easy for victims to become confused or make a mistake during the lawsuit process. Legal representation is essential to ensure a victory in these cases, whether you are an injured customer or a store employee.

We know that finances are a big worry during these times, which is why we offer a Zero fee guarantee. There is no cost to you whatsoever when you hire one of our attorneys. We request our legal fees from the party you are suing, which means we get paid at the same time you receive your settlement. If we don’t win you case, we eat the costs under our policy of “No recovery…No fee.”

Contact our law firm as soon as you can. Our lawyers look forward to speaking you during a free case evaluation.