Some people love to go shopping, while others look at it as a necessary evil to endure. Whether someone loves it, hates it, or is somewhere in-between, stores are legally obligated to provide a safe environment for customers.
Whether shopping in a big box store, local drug store or fancy boutique, a customer may find themselves severely injured. Often this is due to negligence on the part of the store owner, management or staff. They could have removed or better marked a hazard.
Typical shopping injuries
These incidents can occur in the store or in the parking lot:
- Slip and fall on a wet floor
- Slip, trip and fall on an unmarked step or uneven walkway
- Trip and fall due to improper lighting
- Trip and fall due to unmarked impediments
- Injury due to falling objects from shelves or displays
- Injury due to malfunctioning escalators, elevators or equipment
- Injury due to an assault or attack
Proving negligence
Those injured on a commercial property like a store will need to prove the store’s negligence. Often this means that the store owner, manager or staff did not exercise reasonable care in preventing hazardous situations. This could be a poorly designed display that fell on the customer, a puddle of water near the entrance on a rainy day, or unrepaired safety equipment like lights, railings and ramps. The store staff cannot be everywhere at once, but it may be a matter of overlooking an obvious hazard for an unreasonable amount of time.
Injuries can be severe
It may not seem like much to slip and fall or trip over a curb in the parking lot, but a simple fall can cause injuries to the head, which can mean a concussion. Those with a back injury could face weeks or months of recovery. In cases such as these, it can be crucial to contact a personal injury attorney who handles premises liability. They can help prove that the store was at fault for not creating a safe space to shop in.