Grocery stores can be a dangerous place to be as there are many opportunities for someone to slip and fall because of a hazard. A busted cantaloupe in the produce section or a broken pickle jar in one of the isles can create high-risk zones for slip and falls.
Causes of Merced Grocery Store Slip and Falls
The most common is a spill or something slick on the floor. The quintessential banana peel or the recently mopped area are some of the most obvious causes. There are many other hazards as well:
- Broken wine bottles
- Fruit such as watermelon and grapes
- Pickle juice
- Cooking oil
- Water from bottled water
- Fallen Signage
- Mops
- Brooms
- cleaners
- Wet Floor or Caution signs that had fallen or collapsed
- Leaks from roof
- Leaks and condensation from freezers and coolers
Common Injuries in a Slip and Fall
When a substance spills on the floor, a customer can easily fall as most grocery store floors are slick to begin with. A hard fall can produce serious injuries and in some cases, death. Some of the most common injuries at an Albertsons are:
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Concussion
- Wrist/Hand Injuries
- Fractured Hips
- Shattered Knees/Elbows
- Fractured Dislocated Shoulders/Clavicle
Where do Merced Grocery Store Slip and Falls Happen?
A slip and fall can happen in just about any grocery store, and at Maison law, we have experience in making claims against a wide variety of places. Some of the places in Merced where slip and fall accidents can occur are:
How to Make a Merced Slip and Fall Claim
Under California law, if someone is injured falling on another person’s property, they have the burden to prove that the fall was due to the negligence of the landowner. To do this, they need to prove:
- That the fall happened on the owner’s premises,
- That the place was open to the public or the injured person was invited to be there,
- That there existed a hazard which caused the fall,
- That the owner either created the hazard or was notified of the hazard and did not fix it in a timely manner.
It’s the fourth one that is tricky to prove. If the owner knew of the hazard and fixed in a reasonably timely manner, but the victim fell in the meantime, then the law might decide that the owner wasn’t negligent. This is why it’s important to get an attorney who’s knowledgeable in the area of law of premises liability and has experience making the case for negligence.
Defenses to a Slip/Trip and Fall
The law also allows the store owner to show that he or she didn’t create the hazard, and once they knew of the hazard, the set out to fix it in a reasonable time. This is where many slip and fall cases die. An experienced attorney knows how to get the right evidence that will disprove the store owner’s claims that he or she did what was reasonable.
Contact a Slip and Fall Attorney
After an accident involving a serious injury in the Central Valley, many victims want to know what to do next. The best thing is to contact attorney Martin Gasparian for a free consultation and case evaluation. Mr. Gasparian takes a hands-on approach to every case. He believes that every client should work directly with their lawyer, get honest advice and personalized attention to detail their case deserves.
