Shopping Mall Accidents

Malls are as synonymous to American life as apple pies on the Fourth of July. Malls attract millions of customers annually and are often some of the biggest economical drivers within individual cities and towns. However malls, as with any large places which draw many people daily, host many opportunities for injuries to occur as well. If you or a loved one was injured while spending time in a mall, and you believe the injury could have been prevented, contact the Boston-based personal injury experts at Altman & Altman LLP today.

Malls can range in size from single-story smaller walkthrough malls, such as the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers, and go all the way up to 5.4 million square foot, four-story monstrosities like the Mall of America in Minnesota. Malls host many different department stores, consumer goods stores, eateries, drink venues, specialty shops and everything in between.

At each of these establishments, injuries may occur. Floors may be left slippery after a cleaning, items may fall from high places off shelves and goods may be left lying around in unexpected places, causing trips and subsequent injuries.

Other ways in which you may be injured at the mall could include, but are not limited to:

• Escalator malfunctions may cause serious, or even life-threatening injuries
• Elevator malfunctions due to improper maintenance
• Stairwells or floors which were left slippery by foot traffic during bad weather
• Falls from upper stories of a mall due to a railing failure
• Burns from coffee which was unsecured in its container or made too hot
• Collisions with mall security on Segways or other mall patrons not paying attention

Malls must maintain a high level of security and safety for their patrons. This responsibility includes making sure that patrons are aware of any hazardous conditions, such as an escalator or elevator that is not functioning properly and wet or recently-waxed flooring. Mall owners must also take steps to prevent tragic accidents from occurring, such as falls from significant height, by ensuring upper floors are cordoned off by railings and gap enclosures such as glass, plastic or metal.

Parking lots, too, are a part of a mall’s property. Mall parking lots can, in some cases, accommodate many thousands of cars, which can create a real hazard of automobile accidents involving other cars or pedestrians, who may be walking in between cars or walking across the road to get from the mall entrance to their cars. Parking lots may also become slippery during inclement weather, causing ideal conditions for a slip and fall accident to occur.

Mall accidents can happen to anyone and at any time. They may be especially likely to happen to elderly citizens who frequent the malls and are at higher risk for sustaining serious injuries as the result of an occurrence at the mall – the most likely being a slip and fall or a fall from a high place.

To be able to receive compensation from a claim, you must be able to prove that the mall was negligent in its responsibility to reasonably keep its patrons safe. The expert personal injury attorneys at Altman & Altman LLP have over 50 years of experience proving this burden for its clients and getting them the money they need to pay their medical expenses and recoup money which was lost from being unable to work.

We have offices in Boston, Cambridge and Salem and can get started on your case right away. Call for a free consultation today at 617.492.3000 or toll-free at 800.481.6199. We are available 24/7.