I Fell At a Store. Who Will Help Me?
Stores have a lot of merchandise, several salespeople and a lot of customers. When you put these three things together, you get a crowded, sometimes difficult to navigate maze. Compound that maze with shoes, socks and boxes left in the aisles and other areas by rushed or careless shoppers and it’s not hard to imagine how someone could be injured by slipping and falling at the store.
Anyone who has been injured in a slip-and-fall accident knows the sudden, devastating impact the incident can have on everyday life. The victim is left to cope with pain, frequent doctor’s visits, hospital stays, rehab and lost work time.
Large retailers have a legal responsibility to make sure customers have a safe shopping experience inside the store and outside in parking lots and on sidewalks, in the store bathrooms and in other public areas.
Federal regulations require retailers to set and use safety procedures, and it’s in the best interest of the store’s bottom line to maintain a clean, safe shopping environment.
Despite all these safeguards, accidents do happen, and they could be the result of store management’s negligence.
Slip-and-fall hazards at a shoe store could include:
- Merchandise that has fallen off shelves, especially small, hard-to-spot items like socks and shoe laces
- Shoes and other merchandise left in the aisles, dressing rooms and other changing areas and not quickly cleaned up and re-shelved by employees
- Improperly constructed or broken shelves and merchandise racks
- Poorly placed or hard-to-see merchandise or signage
- Slippery floors from spills not cleaned up by store employees
- Wet floors caused by rainy or snowy weather conditions
- Wet or dirty floors caused by mopping or sweeping done by employees
- Ladders, dollies and other employee stocking implements left in the aisles
- Loose rugs or damaged floor tiles in the store
- Ice, snow or puddles not properly removed in the parking lot or outside store areas
- Inadequate lighting inside or outside the store
Large companies have high-priced lawyers who are experts in defending personal injury claims. However, slip and fall and in-store accident victims should not let that get in the way of seeking compensation for their injuries. Immediately contact an experienced personal injury lawyer if you feel you deserve compensation for your injuries. A lawyer will help you through the claims process and, in many cases, may agree not to be paid unless you win your case.
*The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Foot Locker, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
