Running up to Target is about as routine as it gets for most people. Unfortunately, a routine trip to the local Target can quickly turn into a nightmare if you’re seriously hurt in an accident. Contact our Baltimore office at WGK Personal Injury Lawyers at (410) 837-2144 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Baltimore Target store accident lawyer today.
Target has an obligation to keep stores reasonably safe for customers. If you were hurt because someone ignored that obligation, you have the right to financial compensation for your losses.
An experienced personal injury attorney can fight to protect that right and maximize your award.
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, we have been helping accident victims across Baltimore get fair compensation since 1977. Let us put our more than 80 years of combined experience to work for you. Give us a call today to discuss your legal options today.
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How An Experienced Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help
Target is a big corporation. As friendly as the local Target employees may seem, Target is represented by teams of defense attorneys who work to minimize the company’s financial exposure in a lawsuit. You deserve an experienced injury lawyer in your corner to protect your interests.
When you choose WGK Personal Injury Lawyers to protect your rights, you’re getting over a century of legal experience. When you retain our services, our Baltimore personal injury lawyers will:
- Locate evidence to support your claim
- Interview store employees and witnesses
- Obtain information about the particular Target store’s accident history to determine whether safety violations are common
- Fight back when the insurance company tries to blame you for the accident
- Negotiate on your behalf every step of the way to get the fair compensation you deserve
Getting money after an accident is rarely easy–especially when you’re facing off against a large corporation like Target.
Whether you were injured in a slip and fall accident or otherwise, our lawyers are here to help. Let us put our decades of practical legal experience to work for you. Getting help is simple. Just call our law office to schedule a free consultation today.
How Do I Know if Target Was Responsible For My Injuries?
All Baltimore property owners have a legal duty to keep their property reasonably safe. Still, it can be difficult to know whether Target is responsible. Target might be responsible for your injuries if:
- Store employees knew about a dangerous condition on the property and failed to fix it
- Employees did not take steps to warn you about any dangerous conditions that existed, or their warnings were inadequate
- The hazard or dangerous condition had existed for a long time, so that employees should have found it and either fixed it or put up warnings
- The store failed to implement procedures that would have caused an employee to discover the danger
- Store employees actually caused the dangerous condition that led to your accident
As a customer, you are classified as an “invitee” for legal purposes. That means Target owes you an even greater duty of care. After all, Target makes a profit when you shop with them.
Still, you need evidence to support your injury claim. Our experienced personal injury attorneys will work to find that evidence–and determine the cause of your accident.
Common Causes of Target Store Accidents in Baltimore
In 2019, there were 1,868 Target stores in North America. In fact, an estimated 75% of the American population lives within ten miles of a Target. Of course, some of those people might get hurt while shopping. When Target could have prevented the accident, however, victims have the right to be compensated.
Target store accidents are commonly caused by:
- Wet or slippery floors
- Obstacles left in the aisles
- Objects falling from shelves
- Poorly maintained parking lots and parking structures
- Ice and snow on sidewalks
- Improper lighting
- Failure to put down proper mats at the entrance to collect rainwater, ice and snow
- Negligent security, which can lead to assault and violence in parking lots, rest rooms and other poorly secured areas
Target has an obligation to make sure any of these dangerous conditions are fixed as quickly as possible. If store employees can’t fix the problem, they should warn customers to prevent accidents.
Target Store Accidents Often Cause Serious Injuries
Even a “minor” slip and fall can cause the victim to suffer serious injuries and financial losses. Target store accident victims commonly suffer:
- Brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back injuries
- Knee, hip and shoulder injuries
- Wrist injuries
- Broken bones
- And more
Our lawyers are here to talk about the details of your accident, how Target’s actions may have caused your injuries, and how we can help. To learn more, give our experienced Baltimore personal injury attorneys a call today.
Immediate Action Steps After a Baltimore Target Store Accident
If you were hurt at Target, it’s important to take steps to protect your rights immediately. Of course, you should always see a doctor as soon as possible–and get emergency medical help if necessary. Once you can, it’s important to:
Document the Scene
Once an accident happens, the store will likely try to fix the dangerous conditions as quickly as possible. Use your smartphone to take photos and videos of the accident scene. Look around and try to identify anything out of the ordinary that might have caused the accident.
Report the Accident
Find a store employee and ask to speak with the manager. They might ask you to fill out an accident report. In any event, make sure the manager understands what happened.
Importantly, avoid admitting any fault. Again, Target store employees are often very friendly. It’s important to avoid apologizing for the inconvenience or making statements indicating that you should be more careful.
Maryland’s comparative fault rules are strict, and the store will likely try to blame you for the accident to avoid paying damages.
Speak with Witnesses
Look around and see if anyone witnessed your accident. If they did, exchange contact information so that we can follow up at a later date. Witness testimony can be valuable to your claim for compensation at a later date.
Time is Limited to File a Target Accident Claim
It’s always important to call an attorney quickly. We want to get evidence to support your accident claim as quickly as possible, before anything can happen to damage, taint, or destroy that evidence.
However, in Baltimore, your time to file a claim is also limited by Maryland law. You only have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim–or you lose your right to recover damages.
Maryland Comparative Fault: Target’s Likely Defense
Target will usually try to deny fault or make excuses designed to reduce the value of your claim. Claims against Target are different from typical car accident cases, where you’re facing off against another ordinary driver. Target has teams of defense lawyers at their disposal. The insurance company will do everything they can to avoid paying.
Under Maryland’s strict contributory negligence rules, you can lose your right to compensation if you’re partly to blame for the accident.
Contributory negligence is a legal term that’s used when multiple parties share fault for an accident. In Maryland, if you’re even 1% responsible for the accident, you can lose your right to compensation. Target will likely use this law to minimize the value of your claim. They might:
- Try to get you to accept a lowball offer that fails to fully account for your damages
- Call you, or have an insurance adjuster call you, and politely ask how you’re doing in an effort to get you to admit fault
- Claim that the accident was entirely out of their control, in hopes that you’ll drop the case
The Maryland contributory negligence law gives defendants a strong leg to stand on in slip and fall accident cases. It’s common for victims to think that their own carelessness somehow contributed to the accident.
In reality, Target has a legal duty to keep their property safe. To learn more about how a lawyer can help you get the compensation you’re owed, give our law firm a call today.
How Much is My Target Store Accident Claim Worth?
The value of your case will depend upon how seriously you were hurt. If you were hurt in an accident shopping at Target, you might be entitled to compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Future medical care
- Physical therapy
- Rehab
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- And more
Our lawyers are here to fight to make sure you get every dollar you deserve. Don’t hesitate to reach out to our lawyers to learn more about what we can do to maximize your recovery.
Call an Experienced Baltimore Target Store Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
At WGK Personal Injury Lawyers, we are a family-run law firm. Our personal injury attorneys are dedicated to helping the people of Baltimore get the compensation they need to recover after an accident.
If you were hurt in an accident, you shouldn’t try to navigate the legal system alone. Just call our offices and schedule a free consultation with an experienced Baltimore Target store accident lawyer who can help.
Our Baltimore, MD personal injury law firm also offers:
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- Slip and Fall Accident Lawyers in Baltimore, MD
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- Baltimore, MD Medical Malpractice Lawyer
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Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office In Baltimore, MD
WGK Personal Injury Lawyers – Baltimore Office
14 W Madison St, Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 837-2144
Open 24 hours
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