Grocery stores are a lifeline for the United States. We rely on them to get the essentials such as food, water, toilet paper, paper towels, and medicine. However, when we enter a grocery store, we do not often think about the potential of accidents that could happen in the aisleways and within our own hands. Between slip and fall accidents to shopping cart incidents, accidents inside of grocery stores are surprisingly common. These hazardous conditions could be eliminated with proper care and attention from both the grocery store staff and individuals shopping in the store. Wondering how your quick trip to the grocery store could possibly lead to an injury? Our premises liability experts and product liability experts have the answers!
Slip and Fall Accidents
According to the National Floor Safety Institute, grocery stores spend, on average, $450 million to defend slip and fall claims every year. Slip and fall accidents can range anywhere from minor injuries such as a bruise or scrape to more serious injuries such as broken bones and TBI or spinal cord injuries. This can lead to a lifetime of recovery, lost wages, and high medical bills that can completely derail an individual’s life.
Who Is at Fault for Slip and Fall Accidents in Grocery Stores?
Slip and fall cases are not black and white. Unlike car accidents where there are signs that can point towards an obvious at-fault party, slip and fall accidents aren’t necessarily as clear. Many things can cause a slip and fall accident, such as slippery substances on the floor, someone tripping over their own feet, running into an obstacle or broken floorboard, and more. Depending on the circumstances of the incident, the individual who fell may be found liable for their case. Here is when the injured party will most likely be found at fault:
- They entered an area that was cordoned off or that was marked employees only
- They ignored the wet floor signs
- They tripped over their shoes
- They weren’t paying attention to where they were going
However, the injured party isn’t always found at fault. These cases will often find the manager or property owner at fault for the slip and fall accident:
- Areas that had a spill or were just freshly mopped and did not have a wet floor sign
- Unsafe areas were not properly marked
- Aisleways had obvious signs of broken floorboards or faulty shelving units that caused a hazardous environment
Shopping Cart Accidents
Shopping carts are a convenient way of carrying both children and groceries. However, despite the convenience, a study conducted by Nationwide’s Children Hospital suggests that shopping carts are a likely cause of injuries.
The latest study, published in Clinical Pediatrics in 2011, shows that the emergency room data treated for shopping cart injuries included the following:
- About 24,000 children each year, ranging from 1990-2011, were injured in shopping cart accidents. This is more than 60 children every day.
- Despite voluntary safety standards, the number of injuries each year continued to rise between 1990-2011.
- Head injuries caused by shopping cart falls and bumps was the most common complaint between 1990-2011. The rate of head injuries and concussions rose 200 percent between 1990-2011.
- After head injuries, soft tissue and entrapment injuries are common when children suffer lacerations or get a finger, foot, or hand caught in the cart.
It is clear from the findings that the shopping cart’s design and safety standards may be a bit flawed. Broken restraints in the shopping cart or broken seat caps can lead to injury very quickly, such as pinching or the child getting loose and falling when the parent isn’t looking. These can be either the responsibility of the store owner for failure to properly care for the cart or the manufacturer of the cart. A dedicated attorney can help you decide who is at fault based on the evidence of your case.
The dedicated attorneys at the Hernandez Law Group, P.C. are more than willing to sit down with you and discuss your case. We understand how traumatic it can be to be involved in an injury from a simple run to the store. We will fight hard to ensure that your family is taken care of by helping you get the compensation you deserve. Juan Hernandez is one of the 2% of Texas attorneys who is Texas Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law. With a team as knowledgeable as ours, there is no way we can steer you or your family wrong. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule a free no-obligation consultation to go over the facts of your case.