A grocery store is a common place to get injured. Unfortunately, thousands of people suffer from grocery store accidents annually. The majority of accidents that occur at grocery stores are slip and falls caused by a wet floor that hasn’t been properly marked with signs to warn shoppers of a potential hazard. Obstructions in the aisle can result in a trip and fall, and defective floor mats or torn carpeting can result in a flip and fall.
Falling objects are another common cause for grocery store accidents. When a shopper reaches for a product on a high shelf, other items could end up falling on their head or, even worse, the whole contents of the shelf could come crashing down, causing severe injuries.
Grocery store accidents don’t only happen inside the store, but can occur in the store’s parking lot. A shopper may be injured by a shopping cart, struck by a car, or even become the victim of an assault by another shopper.
Grocery stores are public businesses and, like all businesses that are open to the public, they have a legal obligation to maintain reasonably safe premises to protect customers from injury and harm. This includes taking measures to provide adequate security, proper lighting, and regular maintenance.
A property owner’s “duty of care” typically applies to hazards that are “reasonably foreseeable”. If the property owner violated their duty of care and you’re injured in an accident on their property due to negligence, you may be able to file a premises liability claim to obtain compensation for your losses.
What you should do if you are injured
Steps to take if you are injured in an accident at a grocery store:
- Immediately ask for the grocery store manager
- Request that the manager file an incident report and ask for a copy
- Seek medical care ASAP
- Get the names and contact information of any available witnesses
- Take pictures or videos to document the accident scene with the date and time
- Ask the store manager to show you surveillance camera footage of the incident
- Request the store’s insurance information from the manager
Get confirmation from the store’s manager that they submitted the incident report to the property owner. If you are not contacted by the property owner or their insurance company, request that the manager resubmit the report.
What you should do with this information
If you have been injured in an accident while shopping at a grocery store and want to file a lawsuit, you must be able to prove negligence on the part of the store or its employees. Your best course of action is to consult The Law Offices of Robert F. Brennan, personal injury attorney in Los Angeles, who has experience handling grocery store personal injuries. They can review your evidence and advise you on the legitimacy of your case.