A slip and fall at a Target store can result in painful injuries that disrupt every aspect of your daily life. Beyond the immediate physical pain, you’re likely facing unexpected medical expenses, time away from work, and uncertainty about who’s responsible for covering these costs.
When store negligence contributes to your accident, California law entitles you to seek compensation for your injuries and related losses.
At Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, we understand the challenges you face after a premises liability accident at a major retailer. Our Lancaster attorneys have experience handling slip-and-fall claims against Target and other large retailers in the Antelope Valley.
We understand how these companies and their insurance carriers operate, and we leverage that knowledge to build robust cases that secure maximum compensation for our clients.
We handle every Target slip and fall case on a contingency fee basis, which means you won’t pay any attorney fees unless we successfully recover compensation for your injuries. This allows you to focus on healing while we handle the complex legal work of proving negligence, preserving evidence, and negotiating with Target’s corporate legal team on your behalf.
A slip and fall at Target can leave you with serious injuries, mounting medical bills, and questions about your rights. Our Lancaster slip and fall attorneys help victims recover compensation when store negligence causes accidents.
Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers has decades of experience handling premises liability cases against major retailers. We work on a contingency basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win your case.
Do You Need a Target Slip and Fall Lawyer in Lancaster?
Target slip and fall cases require immediate action to preserve crucial evidence. Surveillance footage gets recorded over within days, and essential documents like sweep logs can disappear without proper legal intervention.
Our team sends preservation letters immediately to protect video evidence and maintenance records. We handle all communications with Target’s corporate representatives, allowing you to focus on recovery.
Store accidents often involve complex liability issues that require legal expertise. Insurance companies employ experienced adjusters who know how to minimize payouts, making professional representation crucial for obtaining fair compensation.
What to Do After Your Target Slip and Fall Accident
Taking the right steps after a fall protects both your health and your legal claim. Document everything while the details are fresh in your memory.
Report the Incident Immediately
Notify a Target manager about your fall as soon as possible. Ask them to complete an incident report and request the report number for your records.
Avoid giving recorded statements or accepting blame for the accident. Simply state the facts about what happened without speculating about causes.
Document the Scene and Your Injuries
Take photographs of the exact location where you fell from multiple angles. Capture any hazards like spills, debris, or damaged flooring that contributed to your accident.
Photograph your visible injuries and keep the clothing and shoes you were wearing. These items can serve as substantial evidence in your case.
Seek Medical Attention Promptly
Get medical care even if your injuries seem minor at first. Some conditions, like concussions or soft tissue damage, may not show immediate symptoms.
A medical evaluation creates an official record linking your injuries to the fall. This documentation is crucial for proving your damages later.
Contact a Lancaster Slip and Fall Attorney
Call our office immediately so we can begin preserving the evidence. We sent legal notices to Target requiring them to save all relevant surveillance footage and maintenance records.
Early legal intervention prevents the destruction of critical evidence that could make or break your case.
How to Prove Target’s Negligence in Your Fall
Proving negligence requires showing that Target knew or should have known about a dangerous condition and failed to address it properly. This involves establishing what lawyers call “notice” of the hazard.
Understanding Legal Notice Requirements
California law requires property owners to maintain reasonably safe conditions for customers. Target can be held liable if it had notice of a dangerous condition through:
Actual notice:
Target employees knew about the specific hazard but failed to clean it up or warn customers
Constructive notice:
The dangerous condition existed long enough that employees should have discovered it during regular inspections
Creation of hazard:
Target employees caused the dangerous condition through their actions or negligence
Gathering Evidence of Store Negligence
We investigate your case by collecting key pieces of evidence that prove Target’s liability:
Target maintains internal records that can support your claim. Sweep logs show when employees inspected and cleaned different areas of the store. Gaps in these records or failures to follow safety protocols can demonstrate negligence.
Surveillance cameras throughout Target stores capture accidents as they happen. This footage shows exactly how your fall occurred and whether employees noticed hazards without taking action.
Incident reports filed by Target provide their official account of your accident. These documents sometimes contain admissions that support your claim.
We also interview witnesses who saw your fall or observed the dangerous condition beforehand. Employee statements can be particularly valuable in proving the store’s knowledge of hazards.
Common Hazards That Cause Target Slip and Fall Accidents
Target stores present various hazards that can cause serious accidents throughout different areas of the property.
Wet Floors and Spill-Related Falls
Liquid spills from broken products create slippery surfaces that cause many falls. Refrigeration units and roof leaks also create wet conditions that Target must address promptly.
Improperly applied floor wax or cleaning solutions can make surfaces dangerously slick. These hazards are perilous because they may not be immediately visible to customers.
Merchandise and Stocking Hazards
Employees stocking shelves often leave boxes, plastic wrapping, or merchandise in aisles where customers walk. Overhanging items from endcap displays can also create unexpected obstacles.
Pallets and shopping carts left in walkways present trip hazards, especially in busy areas where customers may not expect them.
Entrance and Floor Mat Problems
Store entrance mats can bunch up, slide, or become saturated with water during bad weather. These conditions create both slip and trip hazards for customers entering the premises.
Damaged or improperly maintained flooring near entrances poses additional risks, particularly when combined with poor lighting conditions.
Parking Lot and Exterior Hazards
Target’s duty of care extends to parking lots and sidewalks around its stores, areas where pedestrian accident risks are particularly high. Common exterior hazards include:
Potholes and cracked pavement:
Poor maintenance creates uneven surfaces that can cause falls
Inadequate lighting:
Dim or broken lights make it difficult to see hazards, especially during evening hours
Unmarked elevation changes:
Curbs and steps without proper marking or lighting present trip hazards
Weather-related conditions:
Ice, snow, or standing water that Target fails to address appropriately
Injuries Commonly Suffered in Target Falls
Slip and fall accidents can cause severe injuries that require extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation. The sudden, unexpected nature of these falls often results in severe trauma.
Fractures and Broken Bones
Falls frequently cause fractures in the wrists, arms, ankles, and hips as people try to break their fall or land awkwardly. Hip fractures are severe for older adults and may require surgery and lengthy rehabilitation.
Head and Brain Injuries
Striking your head during a fall can cause concussions or traumatic brain injuries. These injuries may not be immediately apparent but can have long-lasting effects on cognitive function and quality of life, similar to other brain injury cases we handle.
Spinal Cord and Back Injuries
The impact of a fall can cause herniated discs, spinal fractures, or other back injuries. These conditions often result in chronic pain and may require ongoing medical treatment.
Soft Tissue Damage
Sprains, strains, and torn ligaments in the knees, shoulders, and other joints are common injuries that occur during falls. While these may seem minor initially, they can cause lasting pain and mobility issues.
Compensation Available in Target Slip and Fall Cases
When Target’s negligence causes your injuries, you have the right to seek compensation for all related losses and damages.
Economic Damages You Can Recover
These damages have specific dollar amounts and include:
Medical expenses:
Hospital bills, doctor visits, surgery costs, prescription medications, and medical equipment
Lost wages:
Income you’ve missed due to your injuries and time away from work
Future medical costs:
Ongoing treatment, physical therapy, and rehabilitation expenses
Reduced earning capacity:
Compensation if your injuries prevent you from earning your previous income
Non-Economic Damages for Your Suffering
These damages compensate for losses that don’t have specific dollar values:
Pain and suffering:
Physical discomfort and emotional distress caused by your injuries
Loss of enjoyment:
Inability to participate in activities you previously enjoyed
Emotional distress:
Anxiety, depression, or trauma resulting from your accident
Scarring and disfigurement:
Permanent physical changes that affect your appearance or self-esteem
Time Limits for Filing Your Target Slip and Fall Claim
California law sets strict deadlines for filing personal injury lawsuits. Missing these deadlines can permanently bar your right to compensation.
Two-Year Statute of Limitations
You generally have two years from the date of your accident to file a lawsuit against Target. This deadline applies to most slip and fall cases in California.
However, certain circumstances can affect this timeline. If you don’t discover your injuries immediately, the deadline might start from when you reasonably should have known about them.
Why Early Action Matters
Waiting too long to pursue your claim can harm your case in several ways. Evidence disappears, witnesses forget important details, and surveillance footage gets recorded over.
To effectively protect your rights and build the strongest possible case, you must act promptly. Early action allows our legal team to immediately investigate the scene, secure time-sensitive evidence, and begin documenting the full extent of your injuries.
Don’t risk losing the evidence that matters most. Call us today for a free consultation.
The Target Slip and Fall Claim Process
Understanding what to expect during your case helps you prepare for the road ahead. Our experienced attorneys guide you through each step of the process.
Investigation and Evidence Collection
We begin by thoroughly investigating your accident and gathering all available evidence. This includes obtaining surveillance footage, interviewing witnesses, and reviewing Target’s maintenance records.
Our team works with accident reconstruction experts when necessary to establish precisely how your fall occurred. We also coordinate with medical professionals to document the full extent of your injuries.
Insurance Negotiations
Most Target slip and fall cases are resolved through negotiations with the company’s insurance provider. We prepare a comprehensive demand package that outlines your damages and presents evidence of Target’s liability.
Insurance adjusters often attempt to minimize payouts or deny claims entirely, employing similar tactics to those used in car accident cases. Our attorneys have extensive experience negotiating with these companies to secure fair settlements for our clients.
Litigation When Necessary
If negotiations don’t result in a fair offer, we’re prepared to file a lawsuit and take your case to court. The litigation process involves formal discovery, depositions, and potentially a trial before a jury.
Many cases settle during mediation or other alternative dispute resolution processes, though the most serious incidents resulting in wrongful death may require more extensive litigation. However, we’re always prepared to fight for you in court when necessary.
What If You Were Working When You Fell at Target?
Employee slip and fall cases involve different legal considerations than those related to customer accidents. Workers’ compensation typically covers job-related injuries regardless of fault.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits
If you’re a Target employee who is injured on the job, workers’ compensation provides medical coverage and wage replacement benefits. These benefits are available even if the accident was partially your fault.
Third-Party Liability Claims
You may also have a separate personal injury claim if someone other than Target caused your fall. For example, if a vendor’s negligence created the hazard that caused your accident, you could pursue both workers’ comp and a third-party claim.
How California’s Comparative Fault Rule Affects Your Case
California follows a “pure comparative negligence” system that allows recovery even if you were partially at fault for your accident.
Fault Allocation and Recovery
If you bear some responsibility for your fall, your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you’re found 20% at fault, you can still recover 80% of your total damages.
Common factors that might affect fault allocation include:
Distracted walking:
Looking at your phone or being otherwise distracted when you walk
Inappropriate footwear:
Wearing shoes that contributed to your fall
Ignoring warning signs:
Failing to heed posted warnings about hazards
Intoxication:
Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of your fall
Even if you think you contributed to your accident, you may still have a valid claim worth pursuing.
Why Choose Kuzyk Law for Your Target Slip and Fall Case
Selecting the right attorney significantly impacts your case outcome. Our firm combines decades of experience with a commitment to personalized client service.
Proven Track Record of Success
Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers has recovered substantial settlements and verdicts for slip and fall victims throughout Lancaster and the Antelope Valley. Our experience with premises liability cases provides us with the knowledge necessary to build strong claims against major retailers.
Local Knowledge and Community Commitment
As a Lancaster-based personal injury firm, we are well-versed in the local court system and have established relationships with judges, opposing counsel, and expert witnesses. This local knowledge benefits our clients throughout the legal process.
No-Risk Representation
We handle all slip and fall cases on a contingency fee basis. You pay no attorney fees unless we successfully recover compensation for your injuries.
Our team is available to answer your questions and keep you informed about the status of your case. We also offer services in both English and Spanish to better serve our diverse community.
Target Slip and Fall FAQs
Can I Still File a Claim if Target Had Wet Floor Signs Posted?
Yes, you may still have a valid claim even with warning signs present. The key question is whether the signs were adequate and properly placed to warn of the specific hazard you encountered.
How Long Does Target Keep Their Surveillance Video?
Most retailers only retain surveillance footage for a limited time before overwriting it. This is why contacting an attorney immediately is crucial for preserving this vital evidence.
What if I Didn’t Report My Fall to Target Right Away?
While immediate reporting is ideal, you can still pursue a claim if you didn’t report the incident immediately. We can help document your fall and build your case using other available evidence.
Contact a Lancaster Target Slip and Fall Lawyer Today
Don’t let Target’s insurance company minimize the value of your claim. The experienced legal team at Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers is ready to fight for the full compensation you deserve.
We offer free consultations to discuss your case and explain your legal options. During this meeting, we’ll evaluate your claim and answer all your questions about the legal process.
Our contingency fee arrangement means you risk nothing by calling us today. We only get paid when we successfully recover compensation for your injuries.
Contact us now to schedule your free consultation and take the first step toward getting the justice and compensation you deserve.
