Accidents at HomeGoods Store Injury Attorney

Home décor and furnishing stores are popular among people of all ages, especially discount stores that offer a wide range of items at low prices. That’s the allure of HomeGoods, a chain of stores owned by TJX Companies. This company owns various off-price department stores, including HomeSense, T.J. Maxx, and Marshalls.

When you go into a HomeGoods store, you generally find large crowds of people looking through shelves, racks, and bins. Sometimes, the stores are incredibly chaotic, with items strewn all over the place. Products may be falling off the shelves, or even the walls or ceilings. Perhaps a customer snuck a soda or some other contraband item into the store and dropped it on the floor. Other incidents are caused by poorly trained or overly aggressive employees that fail to exercise good judgment. These and many other conditions can lead to an accident, such as:

• Trip and fall
• Slip and fall
• Falling objects
• Assault and battery, including excessive force by security guards
• Sexual assault
• Parking lot accidents (shopping cart injuries, car collision, hit and run, etc.)

Considering the number of people that are in and out of these stores, it’s essential that hazards are taken care of right away. This is generally done through cleaning and making repairs, or warning the public with clear and visible signs if the problem can’t be fixed right away. Security measures must be in place to act as a deterrent against criminal behavior, such as sexual assault, muggings, and robbery. These are examples of a business owner’s duty of care to the people on their premises.

Were you involved in an accident at HomeGoods that resulted in one or more injuries? If so, please take a moment to contact us and learn about your rights and legal options. We can help you file a store accident injury claim and obtain the funds you deserve as a victim of someone else’s negligence.

Your Right to File an Accident Lawsuit against HomeGoods

The right to sue another party is based on the concept of negligence, meaning they failed to exercise reasonable care for the sake of preventing injuries to another individual. For example, you would call for a ride or let someone else drive your car if you had been drinking. If you choose to drive yourself home and cause an accident, anyone that’s been injured by your negligence has a right to sue you for monetary damages.

So, how do these principles apply to a store and their responsibility to keep you safe while you’re on their property? Here are the basic elements that you will need to prove in order to file a lawsuit against HomeGoods:

• Were you owed a duty of care by the store as someone with a legitimate reason to be on the property?
• Were you injured on the premises from a dangerous condition or negligent conduct by an employee?
• Were there reasonable measures that the store could have taken to prevent your accident?
• Did you sustain monetary losses as a direct result of your accident?

Keep in mind that businesses can be sued under the principle of vicarious liability. Essentially, employers may be responsible for any injuries caused by employee negligence, like not cleaning up a spilled product or getting too rough with a customer (security guard abuse, for example). While the employer is not directly responsible, they can still be sued by the injured party if the employee was acting on their behalf (performing a job-related duty, for example).

These points illustrate the complexities that are involved when you have been harmed at a HomeGoods store. We can help you make sense of the legal process during a free consultation, so contact us today.

How to File a Claim for Injuries at HomeGoods

Your actions from the moment you are injured at a HomeGoods location are critical to the process of obtaining compensation from an accident claim. To ensure the best possible outcome in a lawsuit against the store, make sure to:

File an incident report with the store manager.

We understand people’s need to leave the scene and get on with the rest of their day, or to avoid the embarrassment of having an accident in public. But filing an incident report before you leave the store is essential, as it will establish that your injuries happened on the premises and not somewhere else. Make sure to ask for a copy of the report, as you should always have your own copy of all paperwork related to your case. You should also obtain contact information from witnesses if at all possible, as they may be willing to provide you with statements later on.

Document the harm you’ve suffered.

Even if you’ve filed an incident report, you should never count on the store to provide you with evidence. Instead, use your phone to take photos of your injuries and the scene of the accident. Try to document the exact cause of your accident (puddle of water, object that fell off and hit you, etc.), as the store will try to get rid of this as fast as possible. In addition, look around and see if there are surveillance cameras that may have footage of the incident.

Go to a hospital.

Don’t delay in seeking medical attention for your injuries. This is something a lot of claimants put off, but it’s essential to establish a clear link between your accident and the injuries you’ve suffered. Without this evidence, it will be difficult to succeed in a lawsuit for injuries at HomeGoods, since the company can say that you were injured somewhere other than the store. Aside from legal issues, immediate medical care is the best way to minimize long-term complications from an accident.

Collect evidence. 

Make sure to keep all forms of evidence in a safe place. Essentially, anything related to your accident and the damages you’ve suffered should be saved. This includes medical bills, pay stubs (to show missed work hours / days), witness statements, and photos of your injuries.

Contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.

HomeGoods has access to a skilled team of legal experts, so it’s best to find someone that you can lean on for advice and representation. That’s exactly what we do every day here at DTLA Law Group, so don’t hesitate to call us if you are in need of compensation from a store injury accident claim.

Injured at a Store Accident Claim FAQs

How much are these cases worth on average?

Each accident has its own set of circumstances, which will determine the damages you are eligible to receive. The specific amount of these damages (medical costs, lost wages, mental anguish, etc.) will vary from case to case, which is why there is no way to say what the average victim will receive from a store injury lawsuit. Going by settlements we have recovered over the years, payments can range from $15,000 to $2,500,000 or more based on the degree of injury and other relevant factors.

What is the estimated time to settle an accident claim against HomeGoods?

There’s no specific timeline we can provide for how long it will take to settle your case. A favorable settlement may be offered within the first few months, though this is unlikely if you have serious injuries that merit higher amounts of compensation. Based on our decades of experience with major retailers in California, it may be 6 to 12 months before you receive payment from a HomeGoods store accident claim. If your case goes to trial or we need to request third party intervention from a certified mediator, it can take two or more years to reach a settlement.

Is there a deadline to file a lawsuit for being injured at a store?

Yes, California imposes a 2-year statute of limitations on premises liability lawsuits, such as trip and falls and injuries from a falling object. There is an exception for sexual assault claims, which have a 10-year statute of limitations. The timeline is even longer if you were a minor at the time; if you were under 18, you have up until the age of 40 to sue the responsible parties. However, all other claims must be filed within 2 years from the time you are injured, so don’t delay in contacting us and starting the process for a personal injury claim against HomeGoods.

Advice from a Lawyer with Experience in Store Accident Injury Cases

From a HomeGoods store slip and fall attorney to an assault and battery lawsuit lawyer, we have the right legal expert for you here at DTLA Law Group. We understand the pain and stress that accompanies an unexpected injury, and how tough it can be to achieve justice when the defendant is a major corporation. The legal team of DTLA is here for you, whether you just had an accident or need advice on an active claim. All you have to do is schedule a free case review or free second opinion with one of our attorneys.

If filing a lawsuit is right for you, you pay $0 upfront, as we operate under the Zero Fee Guarantee. We demand payment from HomeGoods, which is included in the settlement we recover at the end of your case. What happens if we don’t obtain your compensation award? You walk away with no responsibility for any of our expenses.

As you can see, there’s nothing to lose by calling us and finding out how we can assist you if you were injured at a HomeGoods store location. Contact our law firm to receive guidance from an experienced retail liability lawsuit attorney.