The Two Power House Super Market Stores

Albertson has claimed that it had backed out of, “its $25 billion merger with Kroger and sued its rival for failing to adequately push for regulatory approval…”. This could have been the deal of the century in the supermarket industry in U.S. history. However, someone spilled some water on the floor, and the deal became a victim of a slip & fall, which is extremely common in grocery store environments. Studies have shown that consumers visit grocery stores almost once to three times a week. With such high frequencies of customers coming and going into supermarkets, the risk of potential cases of slip & fall increases. Grocery shopping is a routine activity for the most part of regular life, but it can be a nightmare if you fall victim to slipping, tripping, or, ultimately, falling while on supermarket property. While it’s goal is to protect its customers and provide awareness if the floor is hazardous, failing to do so can lead to serious injuries. 

Common Causes of Slip & Fall

These things can happen for a variety of reasons, often to unsafe conditions that are unchecked by staff or management. Common causes include:

• Wet or Slippery Floor: One of the most common causes of slip and fall accidents in stores is wet or slippery floors. Spills of liquids, such as milk, juice, water, cooking oil, beverages, grease, bleach, and are many examples of spillage at a grocery store that haven’t been cleaned up or brought awareness to customers if a wet floor sign isn’t shown. 
• Damaged or Uneven Floor: wear and tear on floors, over time, can occur if there is a high volume of foot traffic. Cracked tiles, uneven floorboards, or loose mats can create tripping hazards. When these issues aren’t taken care of, they can be a major risk factor for shoppers.
• Cluttered Aisles: Aisles in grocery stores can be cluttered at times with misplaced items or displays that offer promotional sales. Boxes, sometimes fallen products, or other obstacles are examples of potential tripping hazards.
• Unpaved Parking Lots: Even outside the supermarket, improperly maintained parking lots can also be a risk factor. Potholes, cracks in the pavements, and wet conditions caused by rain or snow can all create tripping and or failing hazards. Poorly lit parking areas can also play a role in causing accidents, especially in the dark hours of operation. 
• Ice/Snow Covered Areas: During the cold season of the year, winter time can make it difficult for grocery store entrances.

Negligence

In slip & fall cases in grocery stores, there must be proof that there was negligence behind the matter. Proper owners and or businesses, including supermarkets, have a legal obligation to maintain a safe environment for their customers. They should be accountable if they fail in doing so. Here are four elements that needs to check out in order to prove negligence in a slip-and-fall case: 

1. Duty of Care: Grocery stores owe a duty of care to anyone inside their establishment. This means they must maintain safe conditions and take responsibility for their place.
2. Breach of Duty: The next step is to show that the store breached its duty of care. For example, the store might have failed to clean up a spill in a timely manner or failed to repair any flooring.
3. Causation: There needs to be a connection between the store being negligent and causing your fall. There needs to be proof that the store had sufficient time to clean it up but failed to do so.
4. Damages: Lastly, it needs to show that you have suffered due to this incident as a result of the fall. Such as medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of work or wages, and even emotional distress. The more evidence you have, the bigger the case. 

What to do After a Slip & Fall

Firstly, seek medical help and or attention. Your health is the most important in this matter. If you sustained injuries and have significant pain, it is best for you to reach the emergency or some type of urgent care right away. Secondly, if possible, document the scene once you fell. Try to get security footage or take pictures and videos after the fall as soon as possible. Please keep this in mind: make sure you have a witness, and don’t give out any statements to anyone! Sometimes, but not all the time, people will use your words against you. Lastly, contact an attorney. 

Here at KAASS LAW, our firm specializes in these matters and know how to go about and make sure we secure your financial recovery on slip and falls, especially if it in a grocery store.

Contact us right away if you have any questions or are seeking legal representation!