Slip-and-Fall Accidents in Retail Stores: Understanding Your Rights as a Customer

Retail stores are bustling hubs of activity, filled with shoppers looking for the latest deals or products. While shopping can be an enjoyable experience, it can also result in life-altering injuries if you become the victim of a slip-and-fall accident.

These accidents can result in injuries, medical bills, and pain and suffering for customers. If you’re a victim of a slip-and-fall inside a retail store, a New York slip-and-fall attorney from Catalano Law can protect your rights and help you get a fair settlement for your injuries.

Common Causes of Slip-and-Falls

Slip and fall accidents account for over one million emergency room visits every year, or roughly 12% of all visits. In retail settings, these accidents can happen due to:

• Wet floors: Wet floors are a common cause of slip-and-fall accidents in retail stores. Spilled liquids, recently mopped areas or leaking refrigeration units can create slippery surfaces, posing a risk to unsuspecting customers.

• Obstacles in walkways: Retail stores often feature crowded aisles with merchandise displays, shopping carts, and promotional stands. These obstacles can obstruct pathways and lead to trips and falls.

• Uneven flooring: Uneven or damaged flooring, such as torn carpets, loose tiles, or cracked concrete, can be hazardous for customers.

• Poor lighting: Inadequate lighting can make it difficult for customers to see potential hazards, increasing the risk of accidents.

• Ice and snow: During winter, ice and snow gather in store parking lots, sidewalks, and inside doorways. Not taking measures like salting or mopping excess water can lead to a slip-and-fall injury for customers. 

• Negligent maintenance: Failure to properly maintain the premises, including neglecting to address known hazards like broken handrails or uneven sidewalks, can result in avoidable accidents.

Premises Liability and Customer Rights in New York

As a customer, you have the right to a safe shopping environment when entering a retail store. This right is protected by premises liability laws in New York State. Under this statute, retail stores have a legal obligation to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition, which includes addressing potential hazards and adequately warning customers of any dangers.

Premises liability laws hold property owners and occupiers responsible for injuries on their property due to negligence. If a retail store’s negligence leads to your slip-and-fall accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and associated expenses.

Your Right to Compensation

If you’ve been injured in a slip-and-fall accident in a retail store in New York, you have the right to seek compensation for various damages, which may include:

• Medical expenses: The responsible party should cover your medical bills, including hospitalization, surgeries, medications, and rehabilitation.

• Pain and suffering: You may be entitled to compensation for emotional suffering and physical pain due to the accident and your injuries.

• Lost wages: If your injuries force you to miss work, you may be eligible for compensation for lost wages and future earning capacity.

• Property damage: If your personal belongings, such as clothing or accessories, were damaged in the accident, you can seek reimbursement for these losses.

What to Do After a Slip-and-Fall Accident

If you experience a slip-and-fall incident in a retail store, there are measures you can take to safeguard your rights. Consider the following actions after a slip-and-fall accident:

• Seek immediate medical attention: Even if your injuries appear minor, such as a head bump or bruises, seek medical attention for a thorough assessment. Head injuries can be more serious than they initially appear, and obtaining a medical evaluation provides documented evidence that may be crucial for any legal claims.

• Report the incident: Notify store personnel or management about the accident as soon as possible. Ensure an incident report is filed and request a copy for your records.

• Document the scene: If it’s safe, capture photos or videos of the scene where the accident occurred, focusing on any hazards that may have caused your fall. Also, collect contact details from any witnesses present because their testimonies can bolster your claim.

• Preserve evidence: Preserve any evidence from your slip-and-fall, including the clothes you were wearing and personal items that were damaged.

• Consult an attorney: Seek legal representation from an experienced personal injury attorney at Catalano Law who can protect your rights and help you pursue compensation.

Seek Legal Help After a Slip-and-Fall

Slip-and-fall accidents in retail stores can have severe consequences for customers, leaving you with high medical bills and lasting injuries. Catalano Law specializes in premises liability law, including slip-and-fall accidents.

Our experienced attorneys can help you assess your situation, gather evidence, and fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation and take the first step towards protecting your rights as a customer in New York.