Can You Sue a Grocery Store for Slip and Fall Injuries?
Property owners are responsible when a dangerous condition on their premises causes an injury, and grocery stores are no exception. You can sue a grocery store for negligence that caused your slip and fall accident if you can prove it failed to maintain a safe environment.Â
If you were injured in a slip and fall at a grocery store and are considering making a claim, our dedicated injury attorneys can help.Â
- You can sue a grocery store for a slip and fall injury if its negligence caused or contributed to the accident.Â
- A grocery store can be liable for negligence if it fails to fix or warn customers about unsafe conditions it created, knew about, or should have known about.Â
- It’s important to inform the store about the accident as soon as possible and immediately begin documenting your injuries.Â
- A personal injury attorney can determine if you have a valid claim and help you fight for fair compensation.
When Are Grocery Stores Liable for Slip and Fall Accidents?
Stores can be liable when their negligence causes or fails to fix a dangerous condition that leads to an injury. There are several scenarios where a grocery store can be liable for a slip and fall accident. Some examples include:Â
The Store Created the Hazard
Grocery stores are liable when they are directly responsible for unsafe conditions that cause a slip and fall accident.Â
Example: Adam, a grocery store employee, mops the floor to clean up a spill mentioned by a customer. However, he fails to set up a wet floor sign to warn others. Not seeing any hazards, another customer walks into the area where Adam had mopped and slips, injuring his back in the fall.
The Store Knew About the Hazard and Did Nothing
A grocery store is responsible for fixing or warning others about unsafe conditions in a reasonable amount of time after discovering them, even if it has nothing to do with creating them.
Example: Ally is stocking shelves when she notices a shattered jar of sauce in the aisle. She tells her manager, Jared, who has her stay and run a checkout aisle while he checks out the jar. However, customers ask him for help on the way, and he forgets about the jar while navigating the rush. Later, a woman rounds a corner and slips on the sauce, cutting her arm on the shattered glass.
The Store Should Have Known About the Hazard
Grocery stores don’t have to know directly about a hazard to be liable for it. If the unsafe conditions existed long enough for the store to have reasonably known of or discovered them, the store is still liable for failing to fix them.
Example: Mo tells his boss, Brandy, that one of the drink aisle’s shelves seems loose or uneven. Brandy notes that the shelf is tipping slightly but shrugs it off. Weeks later, the shelf falls next to an unsuspecting shopper, startling them and causing them to slip and fall on the spilled liquid.
Inadequate Maintenance or Poor Lighting
The grocery store itself can be unsafe if it’s not properly maintained. Deteriorating walkways can be particularly dangerous if bad lighting prevents customers from noticing hazards.
Generally, grocery stores are liable for slip and fall accidents when they fail to prevent, fix, or adequately warn customers of dangerous conditions, whether they knew about the hazard, should have known about it, or created it.
Example: A deep crack formed in the sidewalk in front of the store months ago. Store management should have noticed the crack, but they never addressed it. Mary decides to go grocery shopping one evening but does not notice the gap in the darkness. She trips on the crack and breaks her arm in an attempt to stop herself from falling.Â
What to Do if You Fall in a Grocery Store
It may be tough to think clearly after a slip and fall accident, but ensuring your injuries are well-documented and properly reported can have a sizable impact on the outcome of your case. Here are some important steps to take after a slip and fall at a grocery store:Â
Get Medical Treatment
The most important thing in the aftermath of any accident is your health. Seek immediate medical treatment, even if you think you haven’t suffered an injury. Some injuries are not immediately apparent, and symptoms may surface gradually over time.Â
Follow through with your medical treatment. Not only does this ensure your health, it also provides a foundation for a personal injury lawsuit if you choose to pursue one. By completing treatment, you establish a medical record that helps prove your injuries’ financial and non-economic costs.
Report the Accident
It’s vital to tell the store’s manager about the accident as soon as possible. If you can, the best time to report the accident is immediately after. If your injuries are severe, do so as soon as you can after getting medical treatment.Â
Reporting the incident can create a paper trail that might serve as foundational evidence for a personal injury claim. Failing to create an official record of the incident can cause headaches later on, making it much harder to prove where the accident occurred, what the store knew, and when.Â
Collect Evidence
The incident report won’t be the only documentation you’ll rely on when making a slip and fall claim. It’s key to document the accident and your injuries thoroughly, including taking photos, contacting potential witnesses, and preserving your medical records. You can also ask for security camera footage from the grocery store, which can serve as critical evidence.Â
Consult a Personal Injury Lawyer
A skilled attorney can help guide you through every step of the claims process. They can draw on their vast experience to investigate, collect evidence, conduct settlement negotiations, and build a strong case—allowing you to spend your time and energy on recovery instead.Â
Potential Compensation for Grocery Store Slip and Fall Injuries
Depending on the extent of their injuries, slip and fall victims can pursue compensation for their economic and non-economic damages, such as the following:
- Medical bills and future expenses
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of lifeÂ
While all cases differ, we’ve secured six-to-eight-figure settlements for clients injured in falls. Our significant results include a $10 million settlement for a client who tripped and fell on a temporary fence in Las Vegas, suffering major injuries. We’ve also obtained a $350,000 settlement for a client who slipped and fell on an incorrectly installed tile on an outdoor walkway in San Jose.
“We typically get better value for our slip and fall cases once they’re in litigation“
Contact Cutter Law to Handle Your Slip and Fall Claim
Slip and fall victims have limited time to file claims, so getting started as early as possible is critical. If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip and fall at a grocery store, we can help. The dedicated slip and fall injury attorneys at Cutter Law will evaluate your claim, gather evidence, build your case, and negotiate with the store’s insurance company to recover the compensation you deserve.
Don’t wait—contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. You won’t pay us anything unless and until we win your case.Â
Brooks has a long-established, respected reputation as a skilled trial attorney and a record of proven success.
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