If you or a loved one have suffered an injury in an IKEA store anywhere in the White Marsh, Rockville, Baltimore or Annapolis, Maryland you may be entitled to benefits and financial compensation according to your states personal injury statutes. IKEA is a giant corporation and they did not get to be as big as they are by losing money. IKEA views paying personal injury claims as losing money so they will do everything they can to not have to pay for your injuries, medical bills, lost wages, etc. They will protect themselves from the very beginning and you should do the same by retaining an experienced personal injury attorney who has experience handling IKEA slip and fall claims, IKEA parking lot accident claims and IKEA workers’ compensation claims.
Contact our network of Maryland IKEA accident lawyers today for a free initial consultation. They offer free consultations and they charge no fee unless they recover for you. Our attorneys serve those injured at IKEA stores throughout the state of Maryland including Annapolis, Baltimore, Rockville, Upper Marlboro, College Park, Bowie, Bel Air, Easton, Ocean City & Salisbury, MD.
Accident Causes In IKEA’s Home Stores
While every slip and fall accident in a store has unique circumstances, there are some common causes to slip and fall injuries that may indicate the big business is at fault:
Wet, slippery, broken or uneven floors and flooring
Broken shelving
Dangerous items hanging from shelves or ceilings
Loose or unsecured rugs or carpeting
Ice buildup in parking lot or near store entrance
Car and pedestrian accidents
Defective or unsafe furniture (happens in home or office once bought and put together)
Recalled furniture or merchandise
Most accidents are caused by one of the factors listed above, or some slight deviation of them. If you have suffered a slip and fall in a store, note the cause and gather evidence supporting your claim.
In addition to accident taking place in the store accidents can also occur in the home once the furniture has been assembled. IKEA has been sued several times for selling defective products and not immediately recalling them.
Liability In An IKEA Accident
If you are injured in a slip and fall accident in an IKEA the business may be liable for the injuries that you suffer. Every business has a legal responsibility to its customers to keep them safe from injuries, and are financially liable when safety standards are not met and customers are harmed. The legal responsibility to keep customers safe does not mean that slip and falls at IKEA or other big box stores will always result in a successful injury claim, however, as large businesses are well prepared with experienced attorneys who are well practiced at defending lawsuits. If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident at an IKEA grocery store you should consider consulting an experienced attorney before taking any insurance or legal action.
In any slip and fall injury claim, the injured party must be able to demonstrate the defendant was at fault for the injuries suffered by proving the accident was caused by a hazardous condition that the store should have been aware of. The decisions about whether or not the condition that caused the slip and fall accident is considered hazardous, and whether the store should have known, can vary due to factors beyond your control, however, you can help yourself by quickly gathering evidence. After your slip and fall accident in a store, it is a good idea to record everything that happened immediately while it is fresh in your mind by:
Taking photos of the area – Noting, and taking photos of, warning signs, conditions of the floor, conditions of the products or aisles near you, and any other factor that contributed to the slip and fall
Getting names and contact information of witnesses to the incident
Taking names of every store employee who spoke to you
Writing down the facts as soon as you have an opportunity to do so
Representatives and employees from IKEA will not help you with this. It is on you and you need to take matters into your own hands when gathering the evidence necessary to prove the business was at fault for your slip and fall accident. Once you retain one of our IKEA accident lawyers they will take over the fact and evidence finding for your claim.
IKEA Parking Lot Injuries
A large store such as IKEA can be legally responsible for a slip and fall injury that occurs in the parking lot just as it can the interior of the store. As with any claim, you will need to prove the business was negligent by demonstrating the injury was caused by a hazardous condition the store knew, or should have known, about.
For example, if you slip and fall on a patch of ice outside of Safeway, your ability to recover injury damages will depend on whether or not store employees knew about the ice or should have known about it given the weather and the conditions where customers are likely to walk. If the injury occurred first thing in the morning before store employees had a reasonable opportunity to prevent the accident, then the store may not be liable. If the accident happened after several customers had complained or noted the presence of ice, then the store faces legal responsibility for the injuries.
Liability for slip and fall accidents in a parking lot depends on the same legal factors as accidents that occur in the store – the only change is the factual circumstances that drive the conclusion.
IKEA Restroom Accidents
Not all IKEA accidents happen in the aisles or in the parking lot. IKEA bathrooms and restrooms are a very common place for accidents to occur. These accidents can result in serious life altering injuries to the victim. These accidents are almost always caused by slippery or wet floors. Many times these areas do not have adequate signage warning patrons of the hazardous conditions. That coupled by the fact that people may tend to walk a a faster pace when they have to use the restroom makes for a very hazardous situation.
What Not To Do After An IKEA Accident
Everything you say and do after a slip and fall injury at a large business can influence the settlement you receive. You are well served by avoiding any contact regarding the injury with anyone, including family or friends and especially insurance adjusters or store employees, until you have consulted an attorney.
Immediately after the accident you may be required to fill out a slip and fall report form or contact a claims department in the store in order to officially put the business on notice that the incident occurred. If you must file notice of the accident immediately, avoid saying things like “I’m ok” or “I feel fine.” Statements like these could jeopardize your claim and can make it more difficult, or even impossible, for you to obtain benefits and compensation regardless of how badly you are injured. Please only give the facts surrounding the accident as that is more than sufficient. Also, you are free to request time to contact an attorney before taking further action.
Hiring An IKEA Accident Attorney
Big box stores such as IKEA are experienced at defending slip and fall lawsuits, and have been known to take an aggressive stance in proving the store is not at fault. IKEA especially is notorious for defending slip and fall lawsuits in court, and the company has stated that it prides itself in rigorously fighting slip and fall liability accusations. This does not mean that IKEA, or other large stores, fight dirty or bend legal rules – it simply means they are well prepared and well practiced at defending slip and fall lawsuits.
With the possibility of an aggressive defense to your lawsuit a likelihood, you are well served by consulting with an experienced slip and fall attorney before taking any legal action. Most personal injury attorneys offer free consultations, and work on a contingency fee – meaning they do not get paid unless you win a judgment or receive a settlement.
Contact Our Maryland IKEA Accident Attorneys
Please do not hesitate to contact our team of Maryland IKEA accident lawyers to discuss your case. Despite how big IKEA is as a corporation they still have an obligation to maintain safe property conditions. If they do not, and you suffer an injury, you may be entitled to benefits and financial compensation. Let our Maryland personal injury attorneys get you the benefits and compensation you deserve.