Strip Mall Accident Attorney Los Angeles

June 23, 2015

As a strip mall accident attorney in Los Angeles, I have seen numerous commercial properties where dangerous conditions exist that have caused injury or death. No one goes to a shopping center with the intention of getting into an accident, but these types of incidents have been happening more often lately. As more people visit the growing numbers of plazas and malls in the area, the likelihood of being involved in an accident increases. What types of incidents are people getting involved in when they go to strip malls and what can be done about it?

With an increase in traffic comes an increase in incidents, but it is not only drivers and passengers getting hurt in these situations. With so many pedestrians around, there are more innocent bystanders getting hurt thanks to the actions of those behind the wheel.

According to StoreFrontCrashExpert.com, approximately 35 percent of the incidents of drivers crashing into storefronts is caused by pedal error. It is a situation that puts everyone at risk and can happen at any time.

It is interesting to note that 11 percent of storefront crashes are the result of the flow of traffic. Could the plaza have been more attentive to its customers and created a safer flow of traffic? It is something that should be considered whenever an incident like this occurs.

With the traffic at plazas around Los Angeles increasing, this makes it extremely difficult for delivery drivers to get to their appointed destinations. Impatient delivery drivers can sometimes cause dangerous situations for pedestrians and drivers of other vehicles. This is especially true if the plaza was not designed with separate delivery accommodations for each store and forces delivery drivers into areas where an incident can occur.

Is the store you are shopping in safe? Did the store managers take pedestrian traffic into account when setting up the sales floor product racks? Are there mirrors and other safety devices present to help you navigate the store without incident? Are there barriers between customer areas and work areas to help keep customers safe?

Whether it is in the design of the plaza or the way it is being used, shopping in a Los Angeles plaza can sometimes be a dangerous proposition. Customers could be put in situations where they cannot see the dangers ahead of them and design flaws in the building could create dangerous situations for the customers and workers.

Who is responsible when a delivery driver gets into an incident because he was forced to drive through customer traffic to get to a delivery spot? If the ceiling collapses on shoppers in a plaza, who is responsible for the injuries and the damage?

According to Justia.com, the owner of the plaza could be liable for the damage and injuries their facility causes. A plaza owner is, by law, expected to keep their facility safe for public use at all times. The grounds need to be cared for properly, the layout needs to allow for safe interaction between customers and the stores, and the buildings need to be maintained to prevent any kind of incident or injury. Likewise, motor vehicle operators need to pay particular attention to their surroundings and drive at a safe speed in tight quarters like shopping center parking lots.

If you or someone you know was injured in an incident in a strip mall, then you need to contact an attorney immediately. If there was negligence on the part of the property owner, then you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries and any property damage you incurred. Contact a qualified Los Angeles accident attorney to help protect your rights and to make sure that negligent property owners are forced to pay for the damage they have caused.