The holiday season is a magical time of year, but it can also be dangerous. Several factors come together to explain why slip and fall injuries increase during the holidays. Crowds are bigger, stores are understaffed, and the staff members who are working are usually temporary workers with inadequate experience. Also, stores are jam packed with merchandise to attract shoppers. Cluttered aisles also make for dangerous tripping hazards. As a result, so-called “shopping injuries” are increasingly common, and although it may sound funny, shopping injuries can be severe, ranging from serious back injuries, to broken bones, and head injuries.
Slip and fall accidents can happen at any retail establishment over the holidays. Wet floors, torn carpets, poor lighting, and escalator malfunctions are all common culprits. Severe injuries can also occur in parking lots as a result of cracked pavement, or failure to remove ice and snow.
Proving Liability for a Slip and Fall in South Jersey
People who are injured in a slip and fall accident on commercial or retail property can file a negligence claim to recover compensation. Premises liability laws provide that store owners must exercise reasonable care to see that a store is reasonably safe from hidden dangers or hazardous conditions.
To prove that a store is legally liable for a shopper’s injuries, the shopper must show the following.
- The store owner knew (or should have known) about a dangerous condition on their property
- The store owner did not regularly check the store for hazardous conditions, or provided inadequate maintenance or weather remediation
- The shopper would not have been injured if the dangerous condition did not exist
- The dangerous condition caused the shopper’s injury
Most often, these cases boil down to an issue of “notice.” The question becomes, did the property owner know that there was a dangerous condition? Or should they have known? Examples of dangerous conditions include:
- Liquid spills
- Debris lying around in the shopper’s path
- Rugs or other flooring that has not been secured
- Uneven flooring
- Cluttered aisles
If you have been injured, it is critical to report your fall immediately. Document the surrounding area by taking photographs, and taking the contact information of all witnesses who were present. If possible, take a statement from them at the time, while the event is still fresh in their minds. Even if you do not feel severe pain immediately, seek medical treatment. This is important for preserving your claim. Then, contact an experienced lawyer as soon as possible.
Cherry Hill Slip and Fall Lawyers at Folkman Law Offices, P.C. Represent Those Injured in Holiday Slip and Fall Accidents
The holidays can be a busy time, and if you slip and fall while shopping, you could easily brush it off and not seek medical attention or consult an attorney. Remember that injuries may not be immediately apparent. Do not make a mistake that you will regret. It is important to seek medical attention, and contact one of the experienced Cherry Hill slip and fall lawyers at Folkman Law Offices, P.C. right away. Call us at 856-354-9444 or complete our online contact form today. We serve clients across Camden County, South Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
