If you think about it, commercial buildings keep getting larger and larger. More and more indoor malls are adding restaurants, entertainment venues, and various retail spaces. Take for example Tyson’s Corner Center in McLean, Virginia. With over 2,200,000 square feet of retail space, there is plenty of room for something to go wrong and an accident to take place. Like any other retail center, malls face substantial public liability exposure for a vast number of risks.
The owners and tenants of shopping malls are liable for injury and damages that result from fires, slips and falls, assault, physical attacks and biological attacks. They are placed under the same legal umbrella as other business establishments in regards to liability for loss or injuries resulting from an incident. Criminals have free access to the sprawling parking lots that are both indoor and outdoor, and are free to roam throughout the mall inhibited.
Some of the most common violent confrontations within shopping centers include robbery, sexual and physical abuse and other gang activities. The owners and managers of these commercial properties are required by law to anticipate the possible dangers for customers and to try and prevent them. If you have been the victim of a violent crime while shopping on mall property, you must investigate the possibility that inadequate security provisions were to blame.
Many stores realize that they are protecting themselves from litigation by adequately protecting their customers, but there are still stores that fail to follow through with safety provisions. If a mall does not use an adequate number of surveillance cameras or other personal protections, it will not be safe from a premises liability lawsuit. In the past, claims have been filed against shopping malls for the kidnapping and assault of a young woman at her son at a moll, the sexual assault of an employee at a mall, and the carjacking of a woman and her daughter. When you have suffered assault, robbery, carjacking, or any other type of damages at a shopping mall, call our talented team of lawyers to learn if you have a case for compensation.
Every adult remembers the day when they were finally able to get behind the wheel of a car and drive. Learning how to drive a car is one of the first steps towards adulthood, and in a way a step towards freedom. Being able to travel around at will can be considered such a benefit to our society, and many times we take it for granted. With driving come the responsibilities of the road, learning the ways of street and freeways, and the necessary tools to stay safe.
Every year more than two million vehicles are involved in car accidents in the United States. In 2011 alone, the state of Virginia saw over 120,000 traffic accidents, with close to 64,000 people being injured, and 764 fatalities. One of the most common causes of car accidents in Virginia and across the U.S. is the distracted driver. One moment of inattention can lead to a tragedy that could have easily been avoided.