The Concerning Facts About Slip and Fall Accidents in Grocery Stores

Accidents that involve a slip and fall can happen just about anywhere. It becomes a more complicated situation when it happens in a place of business, as they are supposed to exercise reasonable care in ensuring that their locations are made safe for customers. Grocery stores are no different, so it’s important to know what the recourse would be in the event that you happen to slip and fall inside a grocery store.

The Main Causes Of Slip And Fall Injuries

Within the context of grocery stores, there could be a number of causes for a slip and fall injury. One reason they happen so often inside grocery stores is because they can involves both customers as well as employees. Any idaho personal injury lawyer will tell you the frequency of their occurrence doesn’t make them any less serious. The main causes of slip and fall injuries include:

● The floors are made slippery from leaks and/or spills

● Items have fallen from the shelves and haven’t been returned yet

● The pavement outside of the grocery store is uneven or cracked, creating a hazardous surface

● Floor mats have bunched up, have been poorly-placed, or there is a complete lack of floor mats to prevent slipping

● The floors have been made wet from moisture being tracked inside due to rain or snow

● Boxes and pallets have been left in the aisles, creating a tripping hazard

As you can see, the store must be involved somehow, either personally or through the actions of an employee. The actions of another customer may not always be attributed to the fault of the grocery store.

Determining If A Grocery Store Is Liable For A Slip And Fall Injury

If you fall in a grocery store, it doesn’t mean that the store is automatically liable. Specific conditions have to be met in order for a grocery store to be held liable. They are governed by what is called premises liability laws, and they require property owners to make their premises safe for those who are legally allowed to be there. These expectations, however, must be reasonable. Slip and fall cases are not strict liability.

What Does It Mean That Expectations Must Be Reliable?

A grocery store can only be held liable for a slip and fall injury if they knew or should have reasonably known about the presence of a hazard but failed to take the appropriate steps to protect other people from the hazard. For example, if employees noticed a broken jar of pickles and failed to clean it up or put up a caution sign and a customer slips and falls on the pickle juice on the ground, then the grocery store could be held liable for that customer’s injuries.

If you’ve recently had a slip and fall injury in any store or grocery store, it’s important that you have an Idaho slip and fall lawyer to help you review your case and determine the liability of the store. They could help you determine the seriousness of your injuries and what your damages should be. Don’t hesitate to call an attorney near you as soon as possible for a consultation on your case.