Whether you love the hustle and bustle of supermarkets or dread your weekly shopping trip, the last thing you expect is to end up with serious injuries while running to your local grocery store. Unfortunately, slip-and-falls are among the most common injuries sustained in grocery stores, so it’s critical to ensure you understand your rights. The following blog explores the importance of connecting with an Orlando supermarket accident lawyer to explore your legal options if you’ve been injured due to unsafe conditions in your local grocery store. You’ll also learn more about how these accidents occur so you can stay alert to hazards in the future.
What Injuries Can I Sustain in Grocery Stores?
While some people are lucky enough to walk away from a slip and fall with nothing more than a bruised ego, others are not as fortunate. Several hazards can result in slips, trips, and falls in grocery stores, such as wet floors, spilled produce, trash and debris on the ground, broken floor tiles, and unanchored carpeting, among others. These instances can cause serious injuries, including, but by no means limited to, the following:
- Soft tissue injuries
- Broken bones
- Back and spine injuries
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Lacerations
These injuries can result in serious damages, including medical bills, lost wages, mental anguish, and even chronic conditions that will impact the victim for the rest of their life.
Who Can Face Liability?
If you are injured in a supermarket because of unsafe conditions on the premises, the store will generally be held liable for the injuries you’ve endured. This is because the grocery store is open to the public and therefore has a legal duty to ensure the premises are safe for those who enter their location. For the store to assume liability, you must be able to prove at least one circumstance was true – that the store or employee created unsafe conditions or that the store or its employees knew or should have known there was an unsafe condition on the premises but did not fix it in a reasonable time.
For example, if an employee is mopping up a spill but does not place a wet floor sign to alert patrons to the hazard, they can face liability. Similarly, if a pipe bursts and store management is alerted to the issue but fails to take the necessary steps to remedy the issue and it results in someone sustaining injuries, the store can be held liable for the inaction of its employees.
Unfortunately, filing a claim against a business regardless of whether it’s a big chain or a local mom-and-pop shop can be overwhelming. That’s why it’s strongly recommended to connect with an experienced attorney as soon as possible following an injury, as they can help guide you through this process to fight for the best possible outcome for your circumstances. If you need help, contact Tropical Injury Law Firm today to discuss your situation with a member of our firm.
