If you are ever injured in a supermarket – or any other commercial property – it’s essential that the incident is documented by a supervisor or manager. This is normally done by the customer notifying an employee that they are injured and asking to file an accident report. Furthermore, you should always ask for a copy of the report before leaving the store, as you will need it in order to file an injury claim.
Having a copy of the incident report is critical to obtaining medical expenses, lost wages, and other forms compensation that you are entitled to if your accident was caused by negligent circumstances. For example, you may have hurt yourself from falling down because there was water or some other slippery substance on the floor.
What can you do, however, if you didn’t ask for a copy of the report that was written up by the store employee? Or, maybe you didn’t have a chance to ask for it because your injuries were severe enough to merit an immediate visit to the emergency room. In these situations, several days may have gone by before you realize the need to follow up with the store and initiate a claim for compensation.
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Contact the Store Directly
This is the first step you should take in order to request a copy of an incident report from Ralphs Supermarket. You can either go to the store in person or call the store and give them the name of the employee who wrote the report, if you have that information available. Even if you don’t, there should be a record of the incident based on facts like the date and time of the event and various details about the accident.
Some businesses will allow you to pick up a copy of the report in person, or ask for your mailing address so they can mail it to you. With large corporations that own many store locations, you may be asked to call a specific customer service department. Alternatively, they may give you the contact number for their premises liability insurance provider.
Call the Customer Service Line
If you would rather speak to someone in customer service (perhaps you are having trouble getting through to the right person at the store), you can call 1-800-576-4377 from Monday to Saturday, between 7 AM EST to midnight, expect on Saturdays, when the phones lines close at 9:30 PM. Krogers (the owner of Ralphs) also has an email address for customer inquiries and an online chat feature. However, many people prefer to speak with a live person when legal issues are involved, like an accident at the store.
It’s not unusual to go through a prolonged recorded voice system of pressing certain numbers and going from one prompt to another, only for the line to disconnect. If you finally get an agent on the line, you may end up being transferred from one department to another until someone finally promises to send you the information you need. As we mentioned before, you may be referred to Kroger’s insurance company if they have coverage for accidents to guests and visitors at store locations.
If days or weeks have gone by and you still haven’t received a copy of the report, don’t be surprised. In fact, you should be prepared to call back multiple times and speak to numerous people, whether it’s with Kroger or a separate insurance company. However, one can only take so much of making calls and talking to agents again and again, especially when they are trying to recover from their injuries. The frustration and anxiety from trying to get an incident report takes a toll on your physical and mental health, and makes you vulnerable to the games insurance companies play in order to avoid paying on a claim.
If you are failing to make progress towards obtaining a copy of an incident report from Ralphs Supermarket, it may be time to contact a Ralphs grocery store accident injury lawyer.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
Many people are reluctant to get a lawyer involved, and try to handle the claims process on their own. But legal counsel is the best route if you are getting the run around for a simple request, like a copy of an accident report. In reality, this is a common stall tactic used by many corporations, and it’s effective in making customers feel desperate and frustrated, to the point where they will probably settle for any amount of money once it’s finally offered. Even better (for the company, that is), you may give up on seeking compensation altogether or delay the process until you are close to or past the statutory deadline.
An experienced store injury lawsuit attorney knows how to overcome these hurdles and get the documentation that’s needed for a legal case. Aside from the accident report, a lawyer can send subpoenas for other evidence that may be available, like surveillance camera footage and witness statements. They can also review your medical records and ensure that you receive every penny you are owed from being injured at the store.
These are just some of the ways our law firm can help you if you were involved in an accident at a Ralphs grocery store. We are happy to provide more information and answer any questions you have during a free consultation.
How Long You have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit
The deadline for an accident claim is essential information for anyone who was injured because of another party’s failure to exercise reasonable care. No matter what type of accident you’ve had, you are generally required to file a legal action no later than 2 years from the date of injury. So, this would be the day of the accident, unless you are diagnosed with an injury resulting from the accident at a later date. There are some other circumstances that can affect the statute of limitations for a lawsuit, though for most people, the 2-year rule is the standard to go by.
To verify the amount of time you have for a lawsuit against Ralphs Supermarkets, give us a call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Legal Advice from a Supermarket Accident Injury Lawyer
Each accident case is unique, with its own set of factors and complications. With that in mind, advice and guidance from an attorney is critical to a successful outcome. Our legal team is comprised of lawyers with decades of experience in premises liability claims. You can depend on us to build a strong and effective case and negotiate maximum payment for the harm you suffered.
Here at Normandie, we offer free consultations, along with a Zero Fee Guarantee if you choose to have us represent you. Under this policy, you will never have to pay out of pocket for legal services. All costs associated with your case are obtained from Ralphs and paid to us at the same time as your settlement check. That means we don’t make a penny unless you receive compensation.
If you are ready to discuss your rights and legal options, contact our office to schedule a free case review.
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