Whether you love the hustle and bustle of grocery shopping or consider it another chore, this is something everyone must do. However, the last thing you expect when picking produce is to end up in the hospital after sustaining an injury in your local grocery store. Unfortunately, accidents in supermarkets are far too common, leaving many enduring the impacts of other people’s negligence. However, it’s important to understand that you should not have to bear the financial burden in these matters. The following blog explores what you should know about how these accidents happen and why connecting with Baltimore County supermarket accident attorneys is critical following your injury.
How Do Accidents in a Grocery Store Happen?
Unfortunately, several hazards can lead to various accidents for patrons in a supermarket. Generally, the most common causes of these accidents are slips and falls. As supermarkets are rampant with food products, it’s not uncommon for spills to occur. As such, if spills are not cleaned promptly, or the produce misters are not calibrated right, and the floor becomes slippery, a shopper may slip and fall as a result.
On a similar note, if an employee cleans the floor but does not put adequate warnings for customers and someone slips and falls as a result, it can lead to injuries, while improper outdoor maintenance, like failure to remove snow or fix broken walkways, can also cause a slip and fall.
Additionally, if fixtures in the store, like lighting, signs, and shelving, are not adequately installed, they may fall and strike customers passing by.
What Are My Legal Options if I’m Hurt While Shopping?
If you are hurt while grocery shopping, it’s important to proceed carefully. Making errors in the process can negatively impact the outcome of your case, as Maryland is a contributory negligence state, meaning a single error can be the difference between receiving compensation or bearing the financial burden on your own.
Generally, you should ensure you seek medical attention as soon as possible following the accident. This includes contacting emergency services to examine your injuries. If you feel okay after the accident, you should follow up with your primary care provider in the days following your accident to establish medical care and ensure you can receive care for any injuries sustained.
You should document the accident scene by collecting photos and videos of the circumstances that caused your accident. If possible, you may be able to see if the store has security camera footage, though they may be reluctant to provide you with the footage. It’s also important to note that if you complete an incident report through the store, you’ll want to avoid assuming any responsibility for the accident and obtain a copy of the report before leaving the store.
No one should be left to bear the financial burden sustaining an injury in a supermarket can cause, which is why working with an experienced attorney from the Law Offices of Markey & Orsi is in your best interest. Our team will do everything possible to assist you through the process of filing a claim against the negligent party to help guide you through these matters so we can fight for the best possible outcome for you. Contact us today to learn more about these difficult matters.
