As you might surmise, any type of store has a legal obligation to look out for the safety of its customers. When shoppers walk down the aisle, there is a reasonable expectation that the walkways will be clear of debris and merchandise. However, that’s not always the case. The bottom line is that you could be severely injured if you trip and fall in a craft store.
How Trip and Fall Accidents Occur
In a prior article, we provided you with the differences between slip, trip, and fall accidents. Slip and fall accidents are more common in grocery stores. After all, there’s more chance of something wet or slippery causing someone to slip and fall backward. Of course, that’s not to say there couldn’t be a damp or shiny floor in a craft store.
It stands to reason that more people are injured in trip and fall accidents in craft stores. It could be as simple as tripping over some craft beads. However, here are some other examples of how injuries occur in these types of retail establishments:
- Merchandise was improperly shelved and falls into pathway
- Carpet is torn and uplifted, and shopper’s foot gets stuck
- Flooring is in disrepair or uneven and causes store patron to trip and fall
- Craft tools or accessories are in the middle of the floor
Meanwhile, you should know that claims made against any type of retail stores fall under premises liability law. In many cases, store management may say you were not paying attention and that the accident was, therefore, your fault. An attorney with experience in premises liability can investigate the circumstances of the accident and advocate on your behalf.
Trip and Fall Accident Claims
The formal name for a storeowner’s responsibility to its patrons is known as a duty of care. Simply put, it means that the establishment has legal obligations regarding its premises. However, there is something that puzzles people unfamiliar with the claims process. The term reasonable is also thrown into the mix. Essentially, the store must keep their sales floor reasonable safe and do so within a reasonable time period.
For a moment, consider the example of tripping over the bead in the craft store. A point of contention might be how the bead got on the floor in the first place. How long was it there? Did the patron pick up the bead for examination and drop it? All of this information will be crucial in determining whether the store was negligent.
In order to pursue any type of premises liability claim, it is crucial to determine the nature of the hazardous condition and the length of time it existed. Additionally, an investigation may include obtaining video monitoring recordings.
Contact Us
At the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone, we are here to assist you. If you have been injured in any type of accident, we have the experience and resources to process your claim. Contact us now!