If you’ve suffered a slip and fall injury in a store, here’s what you should know

When you go shopping, you probably take one of two approaches. Some people look around to decide what to buy, while others know what they want and head straight for it. In either case, though, you aren’t necessarily looking for hidden dangers on the floor. At times, a slippery or cluttered floor at a retail store can lead to injuries. If the store is at fault for your slip and fall, you can recover damages for these in-store injuries.

Slippery Floors

Perhaps the most common kind of retail store injury is a slip and fall. A slippery patch on the floor, from over-waxing or leaving the floor wet, usually only leads to an embarrassing moment. At times, though, these falls can lead to serious injuries to the spine, head, or neck, or to bruises and broken bones. 

The store has a responsibility to keep the premises safe. If there is a wet or slippery area, there should be signs around it so you know of the danger in place. When the store fails to keep the store safe or warn you of danger, it becomes responsible for the damages you sustain.

Spills and Debris

At times, the store may not have directly created the danger. Customers may drop items from racks or purses, or an empty pallet or equipment may end up on the walkway through the store. Here, too, the store is responsible for these kinds of dangers. It designs its retail space to get people looking at the merchandise it sells. This means you usually are not looking down for these kinds of hidden dangers. When you trip or slip on items left on the floor, the store may be liable for damages.

Protect Your Rights

If you do fall in a store, make sure you note what caused you to do so, and take pictures of the scene. The store will try to claim it is your fault, or offer you a low settlement to go away. Before you accept their offer, reach out online to Eisenberg Law Offices in the Madison, Wisconsin area, or call (608)256-8356 to protect your legal rights.