How to Win an Injury Case Against a Big Retail Store

Tennessee has many different big retail stores operating in the state.  Stores like Target, Costco, Walmart, BJs Wholesale Club, y Sam’s Club all compete to offer customers many different products.  While competing for customers may be a good thing, these same customers are injured in retail stores all the time.  Customers may slip or trip due to a dangerous condition, or an employee’s negligent actions may cause injury to a customer.

Retail stores like Target owe their customers a duty to maintain the premises in a safe condition.  But, just because a customer is injured on their property does not mean the retail business is automatically responsible.  These kinds of injuries are part of an area of law referred to as premises liability.

Tennessee premises liability law explained

When you are injured at a Tennessee retail store like Walmart, you have to win on Tennessee’s premises liability legal requirements:  The legal elements your must prove are:

•  The retailer owed you a duty of care
•  The retailer breached that duty
•  The retailer’s actions or inactions caused you injury
•  Usted sufrió daños legales como resultado  

The retail store owes you a duty of care

While businesses like Costco are not insurers of their patrons’ safety, they are required to use due care under all circumstances. Smith v. Inman Realty Co., 846 S.W.2d 819, 822 (Tenn.App.1992).

“En los casos que involucran responsabilidad por las instalaciones, el propietario de las mismas tiene el deber de ejercer un cuidado razonable en las circunstancias para evitar lesiones a las personas que se encuentren legalmente en las instalaciones. Eaton v. McLain, 891 S.W.2d 587, 593-94 (Tenn.1994). Este deber se basa en el supuesto de que el propietario tiene un conocimiento superior de cualquier condición peligrosa que pueda existir en la propiedad. Ver, e.g., Kendall Oil Co. v. Payne, 41 Tenn.App. 201, 293 S.W.2d 40, 42 (1955)El deber incluye la obligación del propietario de mantener las instalaciones en condiciones razonablemente seguras y de eliminar o advertir sobre condiciones peligrosas latentes u ocultas de las que el propietario tenga conocimiento o deba tener conocimiento mediante el ejercicio de una diligencia razonable.  Eaton, 891 S.W.2d at 593-94.

The retailer breached their duty of care

In order to win on this element against a big retail store like Sam’s Club, a dangerous condition or defective condition must either be (1) caused or created by the owner, operator, or his agent, or (2) if the condition was created by someone other than the owner, operator, or his agent, that the owner had actual or constructive notice that the condition existed prior to the accident.  Blair v. West Town Mall, 130 S.W.3d 761, 764 (Tenn. 2004). “Notificación real” se define como “conocimiento de hechos y circunstancias suficientemente pertinentes en carácter para permitir que personas razonablemente cautelosas y prudentes investiguen y determinen los hechos finales”.  Kirby v. Macon Cnty., 892 S.W.2d 403, 409 (Tenn. 1994).

“Notificación constructiva” se define como “‘información o conocimiento de un hecho imputado por ley a una persona (aunque en realidad no lo tenga) porque pudo haber descubierto el hecho con la debida diligencia, y su situación era tal que le imponía el deber de investigarlo’”. Hawks v. City of Westmoreland, 960 S.W.2d 10, 15 (Tenn. 1997)(quoting Kirby, 892 S.W.2d at 409). En los casos que involucran responsabilidad por las instalaciones, “el propietario de las instalaciones tiene el deber de ejercer un cuidado razonable en todas las circunstancias para evitar lesiones a las personas que se encuentren legalmente en las instalaciones”. Dobson v. State, 23 S.W.3d 324, 330 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1999) (citing Eaton v.McLain, 891 S.W.2d 587, 593-94 (Tenn. 1994))

The retail store caused your injuries and the harm was foreseeable

The harm caused by a retail store, like BJs Wholesale Club, must also be foreseeable.  The risk of harm is considered foreseeable when “a reasonable person could foresee the probability of its occurrence or if the person was on notice that the likelihood of danger to the party to whom is owed a duty is probable. Downs ex rel. Downs v. Bush, 263 S.W.3d 812, 820 (Tenn. 2008) (citas omitidas).

You suffered damages as a result of the store’s negligence

The last element is a simple one.  A plaintiff in a Tennessee premises liability case must prove a legally recognized harm.  Most of the time, this is physical injury to a person or property damage.  A plaintiff could prove all three prior elements of negligence, but if they do not have daños reales there is no basis for a monetary recovery.  Damages incurred in indoor trampoline accident cases may include medical expenses for their injuries, time off work, and pain and suffering.

At Weir and Kestner, our premise liability attorneys are here to help you get the compensation you deserve. Contáctenos en línea o llame directamente a nuestra oficina al 615.220.4180 para hablar con uno de nuestros abogados con experiencia hoy mismo!

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