Grocery Store Slip-and-Fall Settlements

There are 63,328 grocery stores and supermarkets in the United States. In 2022, these stores generated over $848 billion in revenue. People need food and other essentials found in grocery stores, and studies show consumers visit grocery stores an average of eight times each month. 

Florida residents have multiple grocery store chains to choose from. Currently, the biggest grocery chains in Florida include the following:

• ALDI
• BJ’s Wholesale Club
• Costco
• Dollar General
• Family Dollar
• Publix
• Sam’s Club
• Winn-Dixie

Every day, thousands enjoy routine trips to their grocery store. However, consumers sometimes face safety hazards. Slips, trips, and falls — known as slip-and-falls — can cause severe injuries. Suppose you’ve been injured in a grocery store slip-and-fall accident in Tampa or the surrounding area. In that case, you may be entitled to compensation and should speak to a slip-and-fall attorney to discuss your case and how much compensation you can claim.

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Common reasons for grocery store slip-and-fall accidents

Common reasons people have slip-and-fall accidents in grocery stores include the following:

• Wet floors: Most grocery stores have polished concrete or similar hardy flooring types. While carpeted floors can absorb moisture, spilled liquid and water stand on concrete and epoxy-coated floors, increasing safety risks. Common reasons for wet grocery store floors include the following:
  • Mopping: If staff leave too much water on the floor after mopping, they can create a safety hazard
  • Plumbing issues: A leaking pipe can cause water build-up in or near bathrooms, produce sections, and other areas in the store
  • Spills: Employees could spill a mop bucket or other liquid. Other consumers may also drop beverages.
  • Weather: Heavy rains or melting snow can cause water to build up around store entrances
• Tripping hazards: Any items on the floor, such as cables or spilled products, pose a tripping hazard. A person’s foot can also catch on loose or uneven flooring, causing them to trip and fall.
• Poor lighting: People may slip and fall if lighting issues prevent them from seeing hazards, such as loose flooring, spilled items, or water. People may also have accidents if the lights are too bright and cause a glare that prevents them from seeing hazards.
• Floor height changes: Many grocery stores have level flooring throughout, but sometimes, a store has a section requiring a person to step up or down from the main level. Changes in floor levels can cause slip-and-fall accidents. 
• Loose mats: Loose floor mats pose a safety hazard because they can move with the person’s foot, preventing them from stopping when they step down and causing them to lose their balance
• Broken or missing handrails: This isn’t as common in grocery stores as some other causes of slip-and-falls, but accidents can happen anywhere there are steps without a handrail or on steps with a broken handrail

Slip-and-falls legal claim type

A slip-and-fall case is one type of premises liability case. Premises liability cases refer to claims based on residential or commercial property injuries. Slip-and-fall victims have grounds for a legal claim if the property owner caused a safety hazard resulting in their injuries or knew about the hazard but didn’t take appropriate steps to prevent injuries.

Commercial properties such as grocery stores are responsible for providing a safe environment and taking appropriate measures to prevent injuries. A grocery store may be liable for a slip-and-fall claim under the following circumstances:

• Staff created a safety hazard that caused an accident
• Staff failed to check the store for potential hazards
• Staff knew about potential safety hazards and did not take appropriate steps to warn people about the hazards
• Staff knew about potential safety hazards and did not take steps to eliminate the hazards

You may have grounds to seek a settlement from the grocery store’s insurance company if one of the circumstances listed here caused you to suffer injuries in an accident.

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Common slip-and-fall injuries

Slip-and-fall victims may suffer any of the following injuries: 

• Broken bones: Suppose you slip on a wet grocery store floor and try to break your fall. You might prevent a severe head injury, but you could break the bones in your hand or arm. It’s also possible to break bones in your feet, legs, or back. You may need a splint, brace, or cast to repair the damage. Broken bones often take up to two months to heal. Severe breaks may require hospitalization, impair your ability to work, or require surgery and long-term treatment. 
• Bruises and lacerations: Many fall injury victims suffer from bruises caused by the impact of landing on the floor or striking other objects as they fall. Victims may have minor cuts or severe lacerations if they fall on broken glass or other sharp items. 
• Soft tissue injuries: While soft tissue injuries like whiplash are commonly associated with car accidents, a back-and-forth snapping during a fall can also cause whiplash. Any damage to your ligaments, muscles, or tendons qualifies as a soft tissue injury. Some soft tissue injuries require rest, ice, medication, and exercise. Minor soft tissue injuries can heal in days, while severe ones may take months to heal.
• Spine damage: Spinal cord injuries can be severe and result in permanent disability if the victim is paralyzed. Other spinal cord injury victims recover after treatment.
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI): TBIs include short-term injuries, such as concussions. These TBI victims may recover quickly. Others need medication or surgery, and some suffer permanent brain damage. These victims may be unable to work or need assistance to perform routine tasks.

Average grocery store slip-and-fall settlements

Grocery store slip-and-fall settlements vary. Factors affecting the amount of compensation you’ll receive depend on the following:

• Expenses stemming from your injuries
• The severity of your injuries
• Whether gross negligence was a factor

Gross negligence applies when cases involve deliberate actions or inactions showing reckless disregard for the safety of others. Victims can seek punitive damages in these cases, which could affect the settlement amount.

Typical settlements for slip-and-fall cases are up to $50,000; however, victims with minor injuries may receive $10,000.

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How much compensation could you receive for a slip-and-fall case?

You should talk to a lawyer after an injury accident for several reasons. An experienced slip-and-fall attorney can confirm if you have grounds to file a lawsuit, explain your options, and tell you what to expect if you pursue a settlement. 

You may not realize how much your injury will cost if it prevents you from working and you need medical treatment. Your lawyer can help calculate the damages you can seek, ensuring you consider all costs and reasons for compensation when filing your claim.

Economic damages allow victims to recover actual costs stemming from their injuries, such as the following costs:

• Childcare fees
• House cleaning bills
• Lost wages
• Medical bills
• Personal care costs
• Transportation costs 

Slip-and-fall victims can also seek compensation for the personal toll suffered because of their injuries. The following are grounds for non-economic damages in a slip-and-fall lawsuit:

• Anxiety
• Grief
• Loss of intimacy/relationships
• Pain and suffering
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

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How an experienced slip-and-fall lawyer can help

A slip-and-fall lawyer represents your interests. They’ll investigate your accident, prepare the legal paperwork, and handle negotiations with the at-fault party’s insurance company until they get you a fair settlement. You can have confidence that your lawyer is looking after the legal requirements and building your case. At the same time, you’ll be able to focus on getting the treatment you need to recover.

Coping with accident injuries can be stressful and life-changing. Facing legal issues can compound your stress. When Jack Bernstein, Injury Attorneys, takes your case, we alleviate that stress. You won’t have to learn how to file a lawsuit, gather evidence, find witnesses, or negotiate. We’ll look after these tasks and keep you informed as your case progresses, and we don’t charge fees until we win your case.

Sources:

Grocery store sales in the United States from 1992 to 2022. (2023). 

Rogers, E. (2023). Grocery Store Statistics: Where, When, & How Much People Grocery Shop.

10 Largest Supermarkets in Florida Based on Locations. (2023).