Accidents can catch you off guard. One of the most common types of accidents is slip-and-falls. They can happen at home or even when you are grocery shopping. These incidents can lead to severe injuries that require extensive medical treatment.
Fortunately, Civil Code §1714(a) requires business owners to maintain safe conditions on their property. You can file a lawsuit for their negligence if they fail to put up warnings or remove hazards on their premises.
Still, figuring out who to sue can be tricky depending on your circumstances. If you slip and fall in a grocery store, you must determine who owns it. Taking down the manager’s details seems like the right thing to do, but this person is likely an employee in one location. The negligent party might be:
- The chain, if the store is one out of multiple stores
- A sole business owner
- A business, if it owns the store
After identifying the owner, you can get the relevant information and file a lawsuit.
Can I sue on behalf of someone else?
The short answer is no. Certain factors are required to be eligible to sue another party. One of the most significant factors is legal standing.
In personal injury cases, only the injured person has the right to sue the negligent party. An attorney can help determine if your situation is an exception to these requirements.
The right details
Once you know who to sue, you need to get their details. You can use their legal name and address if you are suing a person. However, getting the correct information for corporations or businesses can be confusing.
Luckily, you can get help from the city clerk’s office to pin down information for a business. Also, you can access the California Secretary of State’s Business search portal for corporations.