Shopping at Costco should be a routine trip for groceries and household essentials. When negligent maintenance or hazardous conditions cause you to fall, however, that routine trip can result in severe injuries that disrupt every aspect of your life.
From fractured bones and head trauma to torn ligaments and spinal injuries, the consequences of a warehouse store accident extend far beyond the initial fall. These traumatic brain injuries can have lasting effects on victims and their families.
Property owners in California have a legal obligation to maintain safe conditions for their customers and employees. When Costco fails to address spills, debris, or other hazardous conditions in its Lancaster location, it may be liable for resulting injuries.
Proving negligence against a major corporation requires an understanding of both California premises liability law and the unique hazards present in warehouse and retail environments.
Our Lancaster personal injury attorneys represent slip and fall victims throughout the Antelope Valley. We understand the tactics large retailers use to minimize claims and know how to counter them effectively. Your recovery is our priority while we handle the legal complexities of your case.
Don’t let Costco’s insurance company convince you to accept less than your injuries deserve. Contact our experienced slip and fall lawyers today for a free consultation. We work on a contingency basis, which means you pay nothing unless we secure compensation for your injuries.
Do You Need a Lancaster Costco Slip and Fall Lawyer?
A slip and fall accident at Costco can leave you with serious injuries and mounting medical bills.
You may be wondering if the store is responsible for your accident and what compensation you can receive. The answer depends on whether Costco was negligent in maintaining safe conditions for customers.
At Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, we understand the physical pain and financial stress you’re facing after a fall. Our Lancaster slip and fall attorneys have extensive experience helping injury victims throughout the Antelope Valley and work to secure fair compensation for clients.
We offer free consultations and work on a contingency basis. This means you pay nothing unless we win your case.
What Makes Costco Slip and Fall Claims Different?
Costco operates as a warehouse store with unique hazards not found in traditional grocery stores. The company’s business model creates specific dangerous conditions that can lead to customer injuries. Understanding these differences is crucial for building a successful premises liability case.
Warehouse stores present several distinct challenges:
Bulk merchandise displays:
Heavy items stored on high shelves can fall and create debris, causing impact injuries similar to those seen in truck accident cases.
Food sampling stations:
Spills from samples and drinks create slippery surfaces
High customer volume:
Crowded aisles make it harder for staff to spot and clean hazards quickly
Industrial-style flooring:
Concrete surfaces become extremely slippery when wet
Costco also has significant resources to fight injury claims. The company employs experienced legal teams and insurance adjusters who work to minimize payouts to injured customers.
Who Is Liable for a Fall at Costco in Lancaster?
Property owners in California have a legal duty to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition for visitors. This responsibility is called premises liability.
When a business fails to maintain safe conditions or fails to warn customers about potential dangers, it can be held responsible for any resulting injuries. In cases where negligence leads to fatal accidents, families may need wrongful death representation to seek justice.
Under California Civil Code Section 1714, property owners are required to exercise ordinary care in managing their property. This means Costco has specific obligations to protect customers from harm.
Several parties might be liable for your fall:
Costco Wholesale Corporation:
For failing to maintain safe premises
Store employees:
For creating hazards or failing to clean up spills
Maintenance contractors:
If they were responsible for the area where you fell
Product vendors:
If they created dangerous conditions at the sample stations
What If You Are Partly at Fault?
California follows pure comparative negligence rules. This means you can still recover damages even if you contributed to your own accident. Your percentage of fault will reduce your compensation, but you won’t lose your right to recover entirely.
What Evidence Helps Prove a Costco Negligence Claim?
Building a strong slip and fall case requires gathering evidence quickly. Costco routinely deletes surveillance footage, and physical evidence at the scene can disappear within hours. The sooner you contact a Costco slip and fall attorney, the better our chances are of preserving crucial evidence.
Call (661) 945-6969 now to preserve crucial evidence before it’s deleted.
Immediate Steps at the Store
Taking these actions at the scene can strengthen your case:
- Report the incident immediately:
Notify store management and request that they complete an incident report
- Document everything:
Take photos of the hazard, your injuries, and the surrounding area
- Identify witnesses:
Get contact information from anyone who saw your fall
Evidence We Secure After You Hire Us
Our legal team works quickly to gather additional proof:
Security camera footage:
We send preservation letters to prevent Costco from destroying video evidence
Employee records:
We obtain cleaning logs and inspection schedules to show if staff followed safety protocols
Expert testimony:
We hire safety experts to analyze store conditions and establish negligence
Don’t wait and risk losing the critical proof you need for your claim. Call Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers now at (661) 945-6969 to preserve crucial evidence before it is permanently deleted.
What Should You Do After a Fall at Costco?
What you do after a slip and fall accident can have a significant effect on how much money you can get. Taking the right steps will keep you healthy and protect your legal rights.
Get Medical Care
Seek medical attention immediately, even if your injuries seem minor. Some conditions, like concussions or soft tissue damage, may not show symptoms right away. Receiving prompt medical care creates an official record that links your injuries to the fall.
Report the Incident to Management
Inform a Costco manager about your accident before leaving the store. When giving your statement, stick to the basic facts of what happened. Avoid speculating about causes or admitting any fault.
Preserve Photos and Witnesses
Use your phone to photograph the hazardous condition that caused your fall. Also, take pictures of your injuries and the general area. If other customers witnessed your accident, ask for their names and phone numbers.
Avoid Recorded Statements
Insurance adjusters may contact you asking for a recorded statement about your accident. You are not required to provide one, and we strongly recommend speaking with an attorney first. These statements can be used to minimize your claim later.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Costco Fall?
If Costco’s negligence caused your accident, you may be entitled to various types of compensation. California law allows injury victims to recover both economic and non-economic damages from at-fault parties.
Economic damages (Financial Losses)
Economic damages cover the specific, calculable financial costs you incur as a direct result of your injuries.
Medical Expenses
This includes all costs related to your treatment, such as emergency room visits, hospital stays, surgery, prescription medications, and rehabilitation.
Lost Income and Earning Capacity
This compensation covers your loss of ability to earn money. It includes lost wages from time off work during your recovery, as well as compensation for reduced earning capacity if your injuries permanently affect your ability to work in the future.
Future Costs
Compensation is available for expenses you are reasonably expected to incur down the line, including future medical costs for ongoing treatment and costs for necessary in-home care or medical equipment.
Non-Economic Damages (Intangible Losses)
Non-economic damages compensate for the subjective, intangible losses that affect your quality of life. These are often referred to as “pain and suffering.”
Physical Pain and Suffering
Compensation for the actual physical discomfort and pain caused by your injuries.
Emotional Distress and Mental Anguish
This covers psychological impacts, such as anxiety, fear, depression, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) stemming from the accident and recovery.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
Damages are awarded when your injuries prevent you from participating in hobbies, recreational activities, or daily functions you enjoyed before the fall.
Scarring or Disfigurement
Compensation for permanent physical changes that affect your appearance and self-esteem.
Next Step: Determine Your Claim’s Value
Don’t guess what your claim might be worth. Get your free case evaluation from Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers to learn what compensation you may be entitled to recover.
How Do California Slip and Fall Laws Affect Your Costco Claim?
California premises liability law requires proving that Costco knew or should have known about the dangerous condition that caused your fall. This legal concept is known as the notice concept, and it exists in two forms.
Actual notice means Costco employees directly created the hazard or were told about it by customers or other staff members.
Constructive notice means the dangerous condition existed long enough that a reasonable inspection would have discovered it.
Courts look at several factors when determining if a store had constructive notice:
How long has the hazard existed?
Spills that sit for hours are more likely to result in liability
The store’s inspection procedures:
Businesses must regularly check for and clean up dangers
The location of the hazard:
High-traffic areas require more frequent monitoring
Statute of Limitations in California
You have two years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit in California. However, waiting too long can hurt your case as evidence disappears and witnesses’ memories fade.
What Costco Hazards Do We See Most Often?
Our experience handling grocery store slip and fall cases has revealed the most common hazardous conditions at warehouse stores. These hazards often result from Costco’s unique operating procedures and store layout.
The most frequent causes of customer falls include:
Spills and Leaks on Floors
These are the most frequent causes of customer falls, especially on the store’s concrete surfaces.
Spills and leaks pose hazards, such as food and beverage samples, which can create sticky or slippery patches of liquid and debris in high-traffic areas.
Freezer cases and coolers can leak water, condensation, or product onto walkways without being immediately noticed by staff.
Additionally, wet floors caused by rain, snow, or cleaning operations that lack proper “wet floor” warning signs are a significant problem. Similarly, grease, dropped food, and beverage spills near seating and ordering areas in the food court are also problematic.
Merchandise and Debris Hazards
Costco’s warehouse-style stocking and bulk sales create unique tripping hazards in the aisles.
These include hazards from fallen merchandise, such as bulk items, boxes, and heavy packages that can fall from high shelves or unstable displays, or be left scattered on the floor.
There is also debris in aisles, such as cardboard boxes, plastic wrap, empty pallets, or abandoned shopping carts left in customer areas, all of which create trip-and-fall risks.
Other Premises Issues
Less obvious conditions can also lead to serious falls and injuries.
Other issues we frequently encounter include uneven walking surfaces, such as damaged or cracked flooring, loose mats, or transition points between different flooring types. Another contributing factor is poor lighting in certain aisles or outside in the parking lot, making it difficult for customers to see hazards before it is too late.
Need to Investigate Your Accident?
If your fall was caused by one of these common hazards, you need a lawyer who understands Costco’s operation. Contact Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers to begin an immediate investigation.
How Kuzyk Law Builds Your Costco Case
At Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, we use a systematic approach to investigate and pursue your slip and fall claim. Our decades of experience with premises liability cases give us the knowledge needed to fight large corporations like Costco.
Early Investigation and Preservation
Time is critical in slip and fall cases. We immediately sent legal notices to Costco demanding that they preserve all evidence related to your accident. Our investigators also visit the accident scene to photograph conditions and interview potential witnesses.
Negotiation With Costco’s Insurer
We handle all communications with insurance companies on your behalf, much like car accident attorneys negotiate with insurers after vehicle collisions. Our attorneys are skilled negotiators who understand the tactics insurers use to minimize payouts. We fight for full compensation that covers all your damages, not just immediate medical bills.
Litigation When Needed
If negotiations don’t result in a fair settlement, we’re prepared to take your case to court. Our trial attorneys have extensive courtroom experience and work with expert witnesses to present compelling evidence to juries.
Why Hire Kuzyk Law for a Lancaster Costco Fall?
Choosing the right attorney can make the difference between a successful claim and a denied case. Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers brings unique advantages to every slip and fall case we handle, especially those involving large retailers like Costco.
Proven Track Record and Results
Our firm has a proven track record of success, consistently achieving favorable results and maximizing compensation for our injured clients through thorough investigation and strategic negotiation or litigation. We know what it takes to stand up to large corporate defendants and their insurance companies.
Local Knowledge and Dedication
We are proud to be a local firm, serving the Lancaster and Antelope Valley communities. Our attorneys are well-versed in the local courts, opposing counsel, and the specific circumstances surrounding accidents in our area, providing you with a significant home-field advantage.
No Upfront Costs, Guaranteed
We operate on a contingency fee arrangement. This means you pay absolutely nothing out of pocket for us to start working on your case. Our fee is contingent upon us successfully winning your case, so you only pay us after we secure compensation for you.
Personal Attention and Direct Access
When you hire Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, you receive dedicated, personal attention. You will have direct access to experienced attorneys who will manage every aspect of your case, rather than having your file passed off to paralegals or assistants.
Learn More About Our Success
You can read about our successful cases on our Verdicts and Settlements page and hear directly from past clients through our Client Testimonials. Contact Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers today for your free consultation.
Lancaster Slip and Fall Case Process
Understanding what to expect during your slip and fall case can help reduce stress and uncertainty. Our process is designed to maximize your recovery while minimizing the burden on you and your family.
Initial consultation:
We meet with you to discuss your accident and evaluate your case at no charge. This meeting can take place at our office, your home, or even the hospital if needed.
Investigation phase:
Our team gathers evidence, reviews medical records, and consults with experts to build the strongest possible case for your claim.
Demand and negotiation:
We present your case to Costco’s insurance company and negotiate for fair compensation that covers all your damages.
Filing a lawsuit if necessary:
If negotiations fail, we file a lawsuit and pursue your case through the court system with experienced trial attorneys.
Costco Slip and Fall FAQs
Can Costco Refuse to Pay My Medical Bills After a Store Accident?
Costco is not required to pay medical bills after an accident in its store automatically. Payment is typically received through insurance settlements or court judgments after the company is proven to have been negligent in maintaining safe conditions.
How Long Does Costco Keep Surveillance Video of Customer Accidents?
Retailers, including Costco, may delete security footage after a limited period unless they receive a legal preservation notice. This makes it essential to contact an attorney immediately to ensure this critical evidence is saved.
What If Costco Claims I Was Distracted When I Fell?
Even if Costco argues you were partially at fault, California’s comparative negligence law allows you to recover damages. Your percentage of fault would reduce your compensation, but you wouldn’t lose your right to recover entirely.
Contact Lancaster Costco Slip and Fall Lawyers Today
If you were injured in a slip and fall accident at a Lancaster Costco, don’t let the insurance company pressure you into accepting less compensation than you deserve. The experienced slip and fall attorneys at Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers are ready to fight for your rights.
We offer free consultations with no obligation, and we’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our attorneys can meet with you at your home or in the hospital if your injuries make it difficult to travel to our office.
Don’t wait to get help. Evidence disappears quickly, and California’s statute of limitations gives you a limited time to file a claim. Call (661) 945-6969 today or contact us online to schedule your free consultation. You pay nothing unless we win your case.
