Accident Injury at Costco: Is the Store Legally Liable?

If you suffered an accident at Costco, the store may be liable for that injury, and you may be able to make Costco personal injury claims to recover money for your damages. However, just because you got into an accident at the store doesn't automatically make Costco legally liable for your injuries- a lot depends on what caused your injury.

Premises Liability Law and Costco Personal Injury Claims

Premises liability law is a body of law that imposes a legal duty on property owners. Just as doctor's have a duty not to be negligent and driver's have a duty to exercise reasonable care when driving, those who own a business or who are responsible for maintaining a home or public place have an obligation to make sure that location is safe before inviting someone over.

When you are invited to a place, either to do business or as a guest, the person who owns that place thus has a legal duty to you and if he breaches that duty, he can be liable for damages resulting from injuries caused by that breach. The specific legal duty that the premises owner has depends on why you are at the property. The law has created three classifications of visitors, and the duty a building owner owes to his visitor depends on this classification.

Visitor Classifications

Individuals in a premises liability case are classified as:

Invitees, if they were invited to the premises to do business with its owners or for the primary or sole benefit of its owners. If you were injured at Costco, it is most likely you will be considered an invitee- after all, you aren't going for a social visit to the store, you are going there to buy something from the store and do business with them.
Licensees, if they are guests who go somewhere for the mutual benefit of the guest and owner. For example, when visiting a friend at his home, you are usually classified as an invitee
Trespassers, if they go somewhere where they are not invited. If you broke into Costco at 4 AM, you would be classified as a trespasser.

Costco's Duty of Care

Because you probably are classified as an invitee when you go to Costco, this means Costco owes you the highest duty of care. They have an obligation, in most states, to inspect for dangers and either remedy those dangers or warn of them. They also have an obligation to make sure the premises is reasonably safe. If they fail in these duties, and their negligence and breach of duty causes your injury, you may be able to hold Costco liable for your injuries and make a personal injury claim.

Getting Help

If you have been injured at Costco, you should consult with an experienced personal injury attorney who handles premises liability cases. Your attorney can explain to you what you have to prove to hold Costco liable for your injuries and can help you to determine what, if any, damages you may be entitled to.

Have an Accident Claim?