Is a Grocery Store Liable if I Slip and Fall?
Like the property in question in any slip-and-fall case, the grocery store in which a slip-and-fall incident occurs can be liable for a patron’s slip-and-fall injuries, depending on the situation. Let’s explore how a grocery store may be held liable.
Most Common Causes of Slips and Falls at Grocery Stores
While there are plenty of reasons that a person suffers from a slip or fall in a grocery store, some of the most common causes include:
- Tripping hazards: Any items on the floor of the grocery stores constitute a tripping hazard that can cause a patron to trip and fall while walking through the store
- Poor lighting: Poor lighting, or lighting that is too bright, can cause people to lose their footing and fall, resulting in an avoidable injury
- Floor height changes: Areas that consist of stepping up onto another level can be problematic and cause people to trip while stepping up or down from a platform
- Loose mats: Floor mats pose a safety hazard for anyone as they can slip when stepped on or can catch a person’s foot, causing them to become unbalanced and fall
- Wet floors: Unsurprisingly, wet floors are common in grocery stores, and slippery floors pose dangerous walking conditions. Some of the most common reasons for wet floors in a grocery store include mopping, spills, plumbing issues, and inclement weather.
Contact Jack Bernstein, Injury Attorneys, today for a free consultation regarding your slip-and-fall incident.
You Must Prove the Grocery Store was Negligent
Regardless of the specific type of personal injury claim being made, it’s essential to establish the elements of negligence in order to be successful. The four necessary elements of proving negligence include:
You Were Owed a Duty of Care
As a plaintiff in a personal injury case, you must be able to establish that a duty was owed to you by the defendant. In a slip-and-fall case, the landowner has a duty to keep the premises safe for any patrons visiting the property.
The Grocery Store Breached that Duty
A landowner has breached their duty of care when a patron sustains an injury on the property. The injury must have been the result of a foreseeable danger that the landowner was responsible for taking care of. Some common examples include failing to fix floorboards or failing to take care of wet floors.
The Breach Caused Your Accident and Injuries
If the landowner’s failure to care for their property causes your accident and injuries, then you are likely to establish that the landowner breached their duty.
You Suffered Financial Damages as a Result of the Accident
If your injuries from the slip and fall caused you to incur medical bills and other expenses following the incident, you are likely to establish that you suffered financial damages as a result of the accident. Your personal injury attorney can discuss the various damages available to you to verify whether you can satisfy this final element of negligence.
Compensation You Can Collect for a Slip-and-Fall Accident
There’s a variety of compensation you can collect following your slip-and-fall accident. The main categories of damages include economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages consist of damages for any financial burdens you have incurred, and non-economic damages consist of damages that do not include a financially measurable value.
Some of the most common economic and non-economic damages include:
- Medical expenses – present and future
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of income – present and future
- Disability or permanent injury
- Disfigurement
It’s essential to discuss these different categories with your attorney to ensure you obtain the proper damages for your accident.
Steps To Take if You Have Fallen in a Grocery Store
After being involved in a fall in a grocery store, it’s essential to take the proper steps to protect yourself from a legal and medical standpoint. The most critical steps you must take after falling in a grocery store include:
- Seek medical attention and follow up on all recommendations
- Take photos of the area and the injuries suffered
- Report the accident to the store
- Request a copy of the security footage
- Hire an experienced slip-and-fall attorney
If You Have Been Injured in a Grocery Store Slip-and-Fall Accident, Let Jack Bernstein, Injury Attorneys, Fight for You
The Tampa, Florida personal injury attorneys at Jack Bernstein are highly experienced in handling slip-and-fall cases, especially those that occur within a grocery store. We understand how difficult these situations can be for the victims, both physically and emotionally.
Not only are you recovering physically, but lawsuits can be a traumatic and confusing experience for anyone. Let our grocery store accident attorneys at Jack Bernstein navigate the legal aspects on your behalf while you focus on your recovery. We are eager to obtain maximum compensation and justice for your rights.
Were you injured in a slip-and-fall accident at a grocery store? Contact Jack Bernstein, Injury Attorneys, now.
Sources:
Goguen, D. Negligence, the “Duty of Care,” and Fault for an Accident.
Goguen, D. Personal Injury Damages and Compensation.