Tables and chairs are commonplace objects at many types of stores, including supermarkets, big box stores, malls / department stores, and convenience stores. Many of these places have areas where people can sit down and take a break or enjoy refreshments. They may also have displays of chairs, tables, or table and chair sets for sale. We’ve all walked into one of these objects at some point, and certain accidents are a matter or carelessness or bad luck. But what if walking into a chair or table was the result of the store owner or employee’s negligence? In that case, you may have cause to file a lawsuit against the business.
However, many people are confused about what it means for a business to be negligent, especially on a property where the presences of tables and chairs are not unexpected. The lawyers of Normandie are here for you, so there’s no need to struggle in silence and wonder “Do I have a case?” To learn about your rights and the legal options that are available to you, please give us a call at our office.
Business Liability for a Chair or Table Injury
Proving liability, or someone’s responsibility for your accident, is the most important aspect of any personal injury lawsuit. In you were injured at a store, you would have to prove that there was a hazardous condition on the premises that the owner or staff knew about, or should have known about. Furthermore, there were reasonable actions that the store could have taken to prevent your accident. As a result of that failure, you suffered an accident that resulted in physical and emotional injuries.
In the context of walking into a chair or table, here are some examples of negligence that can cause you to be injured:
- Chairs left out in high-traffic areas, or in areas of the store where people are likely to be distracted (store aisles, for example).
- Not enough room for people to walk around comfortably between sets of tables and chairs.
- Chairs or tables with sharp / pointed corners that people can walk into.
- Chairs and tables being placed in poorly lit areas, thereby increasing the chance of someone walking into them.
- Table or chairs being concealed or having obstructions in front of them, which can also increase the chance of people walking into them.
Essentially, there are many ways that a store may be liable if a guest or visitor gets hurt from walking into a chair or table. That’s why you should speak to an attorney right away if you’ve had one of these accidents. Our lawyers can verify your eligibility for a lawsuit and ensure that you are fairly compensated for your injuries.
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Injuries from Walking into a Table or Chair at a Store
Bumping into something may seem like a silly accident, but there are serious injuries you can suffer from walking into a chair or table at a store. Certainly, you can be bruised, or even cut on your legs or other parts of your body. But you can also be harmed by a slip and fall or trip and fall accident, which account for over 8 million emergency room visits every year. These accidents can happen when you unwittingly walk into a table or chair and fall forwards, backwards, or to the side, either onto the table or the ground. You could also make forceful impact with various objects on your way down, which will likely exacerbate your injuries or create new ones.
Here are just some of the injuries you can sustain if you walk into a chair or table and fall down:
- Soft tissue injury (strained muscles and ligaments)
- Knee injury (ACL / MCL tear, dislocated kneecap)
- Whiplash
- Bone fractures (ribs, collarbone, hands, etc.)
- Dislocated shoulder
- Sprained ankle / wrist
- Concussion
- Traumatic brain injury
- Hip fracture
- Spinal injury
- Nerve damage
Early medical intervention is the best way to prevent long-term health issues, so make sure to see a doctor right away. Once your injuries have been treated, call us at our office to learn how you can recover your monetary losses. We will guide you every step of the way and ensure that you receive the damages you’re entitled to.
I Walked into a Chair / Table at a Store and was Injured. Can I Sue?
Many injury victims assume that they have no case when they’ve hurt themselves from walking into a chair or table. Usually, they are embarrassed from bumping into something and blame themselves for the accident. This is exactly what the business wants you to think, and certainly, you may have been distracted and walked into the chair or table by accident. But even if you are partially responsible for the accident, the store may be liable as well.
According to California’s premises liability laws, owners have a duty of care to ensure the safety and well-being of legitimate visitors on their property. That means they must take all reasonable measures to fix or resolve situations that might foreseeably harm someone. If the business failed in their duty of care to you, they can still be sued for their percentage of responsibility in the accident.
If you walked into a table or chair and believe that the store could have done something to prevent your injuries, please schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys. We will take immediate action on your case and fight tirelessly to recover your settlement.
What is the Average Value for a Table or Chair Accident Case?
The amount you could receive from one of these lawsuits depends on the type of injuries you have, and the physical and emotional toll the accident takes on your life. Additionally, a personal injury settlement includes a variety of economic and non-economic damages, such as:
- Cost of medical treatments / medications
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Property damage
- Legal fees
- Punitive damages
How much you are entitled to for each of these losses depends on circumstances that are unique to your own case. But medical expenses alone can be significant for a victim that needs surgery, physical therapy, and other long-term treatments. Combined with lost wages from missed time at work, emotional trauma from the accident, etc., these cases can have values exceeding $150,000 and all the way up to $1 million or more. Again, this is based on the severity of your injuries, so minor accident cases generally have lower values, perhaps in the range of $25,000 to $125,000.
How long does it take to get Paid on these Cases?
The amount of time it takes to settle a chair or table injury case varies significantly. Our goal at Normandie is to negotiate your settlement as soon as possible, which can happen in just a few months. However, case timelines are generally longer when serious, long-term injuries are involved. Since these are high value cases, the business is likely to push back harder on these claims, meaning it could take a 12 to 18 months to recover your payment. If the case cannot be settled directly with the store, a lawsuit will need to be filed. At that point, two or more years may be needed in order to settle your case.
How long do I have to File a Chair or Table Accident Lawsuit?
As a general rule, these cases have a two-year statute of limitations, meaning you have two years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit. If your injuries are not discovered until a later date, you have two years from the date of discovery. However, it’s essential to speak to an attorney and get started on an injury claim right away. Recovering from your injuries, conducting an investigation into your accident, and gathering evidence needed for a personal injury claim can take quite a bit of time. By waiting to take legal action, you could end up missing the deadline to file your lawsuit. If that happens, it will be very difficult to obtain compensation, even if you have a solid case.
Schedule a Free Second Opinion
Do you have a pending chair or table injury claim against a business, but feel like it’s taking too long to settle your case? Are you unhappy with any other issues about the way your case is being handled, but you’re not sure where to turn?
The lawyers of Normandie can assist you with a free second opinion, which you can schedule by giving us a call at our office. This is a free case review, where you can discuss any of your concerns with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys. By the end of your consultation, you may decide that switching your lawyer is in your best interest. If so, we will contact your current law firm and have your case transferred to our office at no cost to you. However, the consultation is free even if you stay with your current lawyer, so there’s no harm in picking up that phone and scheduling a free second opinion.
Contact our Law Firm
The attorneys of Normandie have many years of experience in premises liability cases against all types of big and small businesses. We are more than ready for the challenge of representing you if you were injured from walking into a table or chair due to an act of negligence by the store. No matter how long it takes to secure your payment, you can count on us to be there when you call, with the guidance and reassurance you need when you’re dealing with the aftermath of an accident.
Another thing you can count on is the Zero fee guarantee, which is a contingency agreement where you pay nothing upfront for our services. We ask for our legal fees to be paid by the party you are suing, which means the only way we get paid is if you get paid. If we don’t win your case, you have no responsibility for any of our expenses. Contact our law firm and schedule a time to speak with one of our attorneys.
Other Pages on Our Website Related to This Topic
Floor & Decor Store Injury Attorney
HomeGoods Store Accident Injury Attorney
How Much Time Does It Take to Settle Against a Grocery Store?
