The National Safety Council (NSC) reports that slip and fall accidents send nearly 9 million people to emergency departments around the United States each year. When these accidents happen on someone else’s property, victims are often able to recover compensation from the property owner or the tenant currently occupying the property.
A significant number of slip and fall accidents occur in retail stores that many of us visit on a regular basis, including grocery stores, shopping malls, big box stores, and boutiques. Some of the more common causes of slips, trips, and falls in retail stores that are often the result of negligence are detailed below.
Accumulations of Snow and Ice
If you have spent even one winter in Connecticut, you are aware of how harsh our winter weather can be. While accumulations of snow and ice are sometimes inevitable, retail store operators have a duty to take reasonable measures to manage such conditions. As a result, if your accident was caused by an icy walkway leading up to an entrance, snow that had drifted into a building, or some other similar condition, you may have a legal claim to assert.
Liquid Spills
Liquid spills are inevitable in many retail settings, particularly those in which customers and staff are regularly purchasing or consuming liquid products. Liquid on a floor can make it extremely slippery and can easily cause a slip and fall accident, and property managers should make reasonable efforts to clean them up. When they fail to do so, victims can often recover for their injuries.
Exposed Wiring or Debris in Walkways or Aisles
Any retail establishment should have clearly marked walkways that are free from potential fall hazards. If aisles, walkways, or other areas that are clearly meant for people to walk through have obstructions like exposed wiring or debris and these hazards cause a fall, victims will likely be able to recover for any injuries they sustain.
Call a Hartford, Connecticut Personal Injury Attorney Today to Schedule a Free Consultation
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident in a retail store, you should call an attorney as soon as possible. To learn more about how we can help you, call Leighton, Katz & Drapeau today at 860-875-7000 or send us an email through our online contact form.
1 http://www.nsc.org/NSCDocuments_Advocacy/Fact%20Sheets/Slips-Trips-and-Falls.pdf
2 http://www.nsc.org/NSCDocuments_Advocacy/Fact%20Sheets/Slips-Trips-and-Falls.pdf
