Feeling Helpless After Your Fall at the Local Bodega?

One of the remarkable things about Hudson County is its diversity. If you head out to some suburban neighborhoods, you will see the usual convenience stores like 7-Eleven, Quick Chek, or Wawa. However, in places like Jersey City or North Bergen, you’re more apt to find a local bodega. So, who’s responsible if you trip and fall when you run in to pick up a newspaper in one of these stores?

More than likely, you already understand the term bodega. Directly translated from Spanish, it means “grocery store.” However, a couple of years ago, a magazine article presented a brief history of what it called an urban institution. Bodegas have extended outside the Hispanic community. Some use the term interchangeably with small delis and mini-marts.

• Be that as it may, today’s urban bodegas are often crammed with a variety of selections. In fact, you can walk down Bergenline Avenue through a few towns and find some unique items. Although some bodegas limit themselves to groceries and deli sandwiches, many have other merchandise for sale.
• For example, you might head into a bodega in Union City and find DVDs for sale. Meanwhile, down the block in West New York, you could pick up some designer inspired handbags at a reasonable price. To say the least, every bodega has its own character. Unfortunately, some are so concentrated on goods, that it’s difficult to move around without the fear of harm.

Trip and Fall Hazards in a Bodega

There are a few things to keep in mind when you stop into the local bodega. First of all, most are mom and pop operations. This means that they are individually owned and not subject to corporate requirements. Essentially, they don’t have to worry that someone from upper management will stop in and inspect the premises and make demands.

However, that’s not to say that bodegas do not have to abide by local laws. In fact, both the local health department and the fire department make at least annual inspections. For the most part, the visits are unannounced.

Notwithstanding, there’s still the issue of safety. Often, there is a problem with storage space that ultimately translates to display areas in narrow aisles. Unfortunately, this could make it entirely too easy to trip over merchandise. It just takes one out of place box to make you go flying forward.

• Did you get hurt while walking in a bodega? It could be that you tripped over wires. Some trip and fall accidents in small convenience stores happen because the floor is uneven. Still, others occur when someone trips over a little item left in the walkway.

The bottom line is that accidents happen. And, there’s no doubt that any time you trip and fall, you can become severely injured. Medical bills can pile up, and you can lose time for work. If there is a possibility that the storeowner’s negligence caused you to fall, you should speak with an experienced personal injury attorney to learn your options.

Contact Us

At the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone, we have helped injury victims for almost three decades. We will investigate your claim and provide you with experienced legal advice. Call us at 201-762-8956 to schedule an appointment.