Slipping and Falling at a Grocery Store in Winchester, TN

Property owners are required to keep their premises reasonably safe for visitors, so when they fail to do so and a visitor is injured as a result, the at-fault party could be held liable for damages. Slip and fall accidents can occur just about anywhere, but there are a few locations where these types of accidents are especially common, including retail stores and parking lots. Grocery stores, however, have proven to be especially dangerous to visitors, as spills are much more likely to occur in these types of locations. 

Slip and fall accidents can be dangerous and often result in serious injuries that are both difficult and expensive to treat, so if you were injured after falling at a grocery store, you should consider speaking with an experienced Tennessee slip and fall lawyer who can help you seek compensation for your medical bills and other losses. 

Why are Grocery Stores Dangerous?

Although we may not usually think about grocery stores as being dangerous, the reality is that these types of stores have a few specific characteristics that put visitors at a higher risk of injury, especially through slip and fall accidents. These characteristics include:

• • Wet or slippery floor tiles, either from mopping or spilled food items;
  • The presence of poorly erected displays and stands;
  • Heavy or unwieldy products on high shelves; 
  • Misplaced carts, baskets, or pallets; and
  • Busy or poorly designed parking lots. 

When a grocery store’s negligence can be linked to the existence of these kinds of hazards and any resulting injuries, it could be held liable for financial losses in a personal injury claim, but only if the injured party can prove certain elements. 

Elements of a Slip and Fall Claim

Although grocery store owners and employees are required to keep their premises reasonably safe for visitors, they can still only be held liable for slip and fall accidents that occur on their property if the injured party can prove that:

• • The grocery store owner caused the dangerous condition that led to the plaintiff’s injury;
  • The grocery store owner knew of the dangerous condition, but did not take steps to remedy it; or
  • The dangerous condition that caused the plaintiff’s injury was present for so long that the defendant should have known about the dangers that it posed to visitors. 

Proving that these elements have been fulfilled can be difficult. Fortunately, compared to other slip and fall-related disputes, collecting evidence to support a grocery store slip and fall claim is often simpler because:

• • There are almost always bystanders who witnessed the accident;
  • Most grocery stores use security cameras, the recordings from which can be used to show actual footage from the accident, as well as footage from other accidents that may have occurred in the same area on prior occasions; and
  • Grocery stores usually create accident reports about other injuries that occurred on their premises in the past.

To learn more about how collecting this type of evidence could help with your own case, please contact our legal team today. 

An Experienced Winchester, TN Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help with Your Slip and Fall Accident

If you were hurt while shopping at a grocery store, you could be entitled to financial compensation for your losses. Please contact dedicated premises liability lawyer John R. Colvin Attorney at Law at (931) 962-1044 to learn more about your legal options.

Disclaimer*
The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advise for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.