Every year, thousands of people are injured while shopping because the owner of the premises did not take suitable precautions to prevent a potential slip and fall accident. Shopping injuries may result in serious and sometimes permanent issues, including traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injuries. Many injuries involve fractures or sprains, which may prevent the victim from working or attending to daily tasks until they have healed. With the holiday season upon us, slip and fall accidents while shopping will increase, simply because there are more people in stores this time of year.
Premises Liability
Store owners have an obligation to keep their properties free from hazards or dangerous conditions under premises liability laws. When it comes to a slip and fall in a retail establishment, the most common causes of such accidents involve problems with a floor. This may include a wet, recently cleaned floor that does not have a warning sign or barrier around it, spillage, or torn carpeting. However, if there was a spill just moments before and the customer slipped and fell because of it, the store may not be held liable because there was not adequate time for reporting and cleanup of the item. If the substance was on the floor for a considerable length of time and the store failed to clean it up, they may be held liable for injuries.
Proving Responsibility
An injured party may receive compensation for their injuries by filing a lawsuit against the store owner but proving a store owner’s responsibility for a slip and fall accident is not always easy. You must establish that the owner or management knew about the dangerous condition, or that they should have known about it. Perhaps the store’s owner or management did not properly maintain the building, which may have caused the accident. For example, a property owner who has allowed customers to access a staircase without railings or one in which the carpeting is a tripping hazard, could constitute as negligence. Poor lighting may affect a customer’s ability to see a hazard on the floor, such as a recent spill. You must also show that you did not contribute to your accident, such as walking in an area where warning signs or barriers were placed.
If you are injured in a slip and fall accident, try to photograph or video the scene with your smartphone so you can show how conditions were at the time of your fall. Obtain the contact information of any witnesses. In addition, contact the store management and see if surveillance video of your fall is available.
Philadelphia Slip and Fall Lawyers at Geoffrey B. Gompers & Associates Advise on Premises Liability Claims
If you or someone you know has been involved in a slip and fall accident, you need the services of the experienced Philadelphia slip and fall lawyers at Geoffrey B. Gompers & Associates. Call our office today at 215-567-6600 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. With locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, we proudly serve clients from the surrounding areas.