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Lever & Ecker, PLLC August 7, 2015 Slip Trip & Fall
One minute you’re shopping for milk and next minute you’re on the ground with a broken ankle. The grocery store is a place where slip and fall hazards can be as abundant as breakfast cereal options if the store managers and employees do not take care of the store’s facilities.
Produce Out of Place
The produce section in a grocery store can be surprisingly unsafe if not maintained properly. Produce that is accidentally knocked on the ground by customers and not cleaned up by store management can create a serious slipping hazard. We are all aware of the slippery banana peel joke, but in reality it is not a joke at all. If a piece of fruit falls in the grocery store and is run over by shopping carts and foot traffic alike, it will create a very slippery area and could cause someone to fall. When grapes are in season they can be particularly hazardous. Grapes are small enough that they do not attract much attention but they can act like marbles and send an unsuspecting customer down to the ground and potentially seriously injuring them.
Leaky Refrigerators and Freezers
Depending on the ambient temperature of the store, there could potentially be condensation on the outside of refrigerators and freezer units. If there is a lot of condensation, it could begin to drip onto the ground and create a puddle. If this puddle of liquid is not taken care of immediately, customers may not notice the ground is wet, slip on the puddle, and injure themselves. A clear puddle of water is difficult enough to see for some people on its own, but if the lighting in the store is not adequate then it will be even more difficult for people to avoid if not taken care of.
Spilled Liquids
Most grocery stores have a full selection of juices, milks, and other beverages for their customers. If any of these products fall to the ground, spill, and are not immediately cleaned up, they can be very dangerous for customers, especially in a high trafficked grocery store where lots of people are moving up and down popular aisles all day.
1. Regain Your Composure
Regaining ones composure can be the most difficult part of a slip and fall accident. You may in distress but it is important to try to calm yourself down so you can properly communicate to others what happened and how they can assist you.
2. Document the Scene
After you have regained your composure and calmed down, document the accident scene. Take pictures of what you slipped or tripped on if you have a camera on your cell phone and take detailed notes of the accidents scene. If there were any witnesses to the accident, gather their contact information.
3. Seek Professional Medical Attention
If you became injured after the slip or trip and fall, it is obvious that you should seek medical attention to care for your injuries, but many will not think to see a doctor if they have not been seriously injured. It is very important to seek the help of a medical professional regardless of whether you were seriously injured or not. A medical professional will be able to give you a substantial physical and document any injuries that you may not have noticed. This professional documentation of injuries, no matter how small or substantial the injuries are, will be very important if you choose to pursue a legal route to try to gain compensation.
4. Contact an Experienced Slip and Fall Attorney
If you choose to pursue a legal route and hold the parties who caused your slip and fall accident responsible, an experienced slip and fall attorney will be necessary to ensure that you recoup maximum compensation. A slip and fall attorney will have an understanding of the specifics of premises liability law, timelines in which legal documents should be filed, and will be able to give your case the attention to detail that it deserves. Contact Lever & Ecker today for a free case evaluation and consultation. Our lawyers will guide you through the process and ensure that you are on the path to justice and compensation.
