Who is at Fault if I Slip and Fall at the Grocery Store?

When you go to get groceries, you’re focused on parking, looking at your list, finding a cart, and navigating through the store. You expect to be safe while on the premises, but sometimes, there are spills and other hazards that plague the aisle and premises of the grocery store. Those hazards could lead to a slip and fall accident that leaves you injured.

When that happens, you might not know who is at fault since you’re on the grocery store’s property. Legal claims from accidents on someone else’s property can feel complicated, which is why you need the support of an attorney. A lawyer who specializes in slip and fall accidents from Thomas Law Offices may be able to help.

First, let’s take a look at who may be at fault if you slip and fall at the grocery store.

When the Grocery Store is At Fault

In many cases, after a slip and fall accident at the grocery store, it’s likely that the grocery store will be at fault for what happened. This is because you are a visitor on their property. Due to this fact, they had a legal duty to keep you safe from injuries and other damages.

However, they are not automatically responsible just because you fell and injured yourself on their property. It will be vital to your claim to prove the grocery store was negligent.

Based on premises liability laws, there are certain scenarios and elements that must be present in order for the grocery store to be considered at fault for your accident. They are:

• The property owner should have known about a hazardous condition on their property
• The property owner didn’t take actions to make that danger safe or at least warn visitors about the condition
• That injury from the hazard led to you suffering from damages

Some of these dangerous conditions could include wet floors, slippery produce on the ground, a rug or mat that has crumpled in the walkway, or a patch of ice on the sidewalk leading into the store. Any of these could easily cause you to slip and fall in the grocery store and sustain a mild to severe injury.

The grocery store, their company, or another affiliated party could be at fault, but they’re not the only party who could be liable. In fact, sometimes you, the shopper, could be responsible as well if you were negligent. Let’s take a look at when you could be at fault.

When You Could Be at Fault for the Accident

If the grocery store was vigilant and made the hazard safe or warned you of the condition that harmed you, then they may not be at fault for a slip and fall accident that happens on their premises. In fact, you, as the shopper, could potentially be at fault for what happened.

For example, if you ignored a wet floor sign in an aisle, then you might be responsible for the injuries you sustained when you slipped on that wet floor. Similarly, if you were distracted and paying attention to your phone rather than your surroundings, you could be considered negligent.

You might be unsure if you were negligent when your slip and fall accident happened in the grocery store. If you have questions, then you could use the help of a premises liability lawyer. They’ll be able to help you determine exactly who was at fault so you can figure out if you have a claim.

How Can You Prove Fault?

As mentioned above, to prove that the grocery store was at fault for your slip and fall accident, you’ll need to prove the elements of negligence. In order to do that, though, you’ll need evidence. There are many forms of evidence that you can use, especially documentation from the grocery store.

Your slip and fall accident attorney will help you collect those documents and other pieces of evidence that can prove which party was negligent. Here are some of the most important pieces of evidence that will help you:

• Grocery store security camera footage
• Pictures or videos you took of the scene
• Any other documentation, like notes on what happened or exactly what you think caused your fall
• Documentation of your injuries through medical records
• Witness information and statements
• Reports you’ve filed about the event
• Records of the grocery store’s maintenance reports or other important reports
• Receipts and bills from other damages you suffered, like property damage repairs or lost wages from your time off work from being hurt

When you have a lawyer on your side, they’ll know exactly what forms of evidence will be helpful in proving that you weren’t liable for what happened in the grocery store. When the grocery store was the entity at fault, you’ll likely want to take legal action to get compensation for the injuries and damages they’ve caused you, which makes hiring an attorney even more vital.

Thomas Law Offices Will Represent You

After a fall at the grocery store that was caused by the store’s negligence, you could be left with injuries and other damages. This can be frustrating, especially when you were just there to grab your groceries. At Thomas Law Offices, we understand how a slip and fall accident can leave you feeling vulnerable and wanting to take legal action.

When you hire one of our lawyers, you can rest assured that we have experience representing victims and know exactly what we need to build your case. Reach out to our office today so we can get started working for you.