You can sue a grocery store in Pennsylvania for a slip and fall if you can prove negligence caused your injuries. This generally involves showing that the store knew or reasonably should have known about the dangerous condition and failed to address it within a reasonable time. A seasoned attorney can help you collect evidence of negligence and build a strong case.
Table of Contents
- What Are My Legal Options After a Slip and Fall in a Grocery Store?
- Compensable Injuries After a Grocery Store Fall
- Types of Damages You Can Pursue
- When Is a Grocery Store Liable for a Slip and Fall?
- Types of Evidence Used To Support a Slip and Fall Lawsuit
- Protecting a Slip and Fall Lawsuit at a Pennsylvania Grocery Store
- Get the Help You Deserve With Your Slip and Fall Claim
What Are My Legal Options After a Slip and Fall in a Grocery Store?
If you were injured in a slip and fall accident at a grocery store, you may have several legal options, depending on the circumstances of the accident and the severity of your injuries. In Pennsylvania, you may be able to pursue a premises liability claim for compensation if the store’s negligence contributed to your fall and resulting injuries.
However, to do so, you will need to collect evidence to support your case and file within the applicable deadlines. The following actions can help you protect your right to seek damages if you decide to pursue a claim:
- Document the accident scene with photos and videos
- Report the incident and your injuries
- Seek medical attention
- Speak with an attorney
Compensable Injuries After a Grocery Store Fall
The primary purpose of a slip and fall claim is to cover damages from your injuries. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, you may be entitled to pursue compensation for medical bills and lost wages, among other things.
There are many ways you can get hurt at a grocery store. Small cuts, scrapes, and mild sprains are all common after a fall. However, a fall at a grocery store can also cause concussions, back and spinal trauma, broken bones, and even internal organ damage. An experienced Pennsylvania slip and fall accident attorney can help you assess the circumstances of your case and determine whether you have compensable injuries after a grocery store fall.
Types of Damages You Can Pursue
If it is determined that the grocery store was negligent and can be held liable for your slip and fall accident, you might be able to recover damages for your losses. You are entitled to pursue compensation for medical-related losses, such as emergency care, doctor visits, hospital stays, physical therapy, and medications.
Similarly, if your injuries kept you from working, you may be able to recover income you lost during your recovery. In some cases, damages may also account for a reduced ability to earn income in the future. You can also recover out-of-pocket expenses related to the injury, such as transportation to medical appointments or necessary home modifications.
More subjective losses can also be accounted for after an accident. You may be able to recover compensation for physical pain, discomfort, and the effects the injury has had on your daily life. In addition, damages may be available for anxiety, emotional distress, or loss of enjoyment of life.
When Is a Grocery Store Liable for a Slip and Fall?
Pennsylvania grocery stores have a duty to use reasonable care to protect customers from dangerous conditions on their property. However, a store is not automatically liable simply because a customer falls. In a slip and fall case, the customer generally must show that the store created the dangerous condition, knew about it, or should have discovered it through reasonable care and failed to address it.
Some examples of slip and fall risks in a store include:
- Poorly inspected aisles
- Uncleaned spills
- Unrepaired hazards
- Lack of warning signage.
Whether a store should have discovered a hazard depends on the circumstances of the incident. Courts can consider how long the condition existed, where the hazard was located, what caused it, and whether the store had a reasonable amount of time to correct it.
A Study from Montclair State University
A study from Montclair State University found that most slip and fall accidents occur indoors and involve water, liquid, or food spills on the floor. They also found that a lack of proper inspections caused most of the accidents.
What if the At-Fault Party Was Another Customer?
The origin of a spill can significantly affect liability. If a store employee created the hazard, such as by spilling liquid while stocking a shelf or cleaning an aisle, the store could be responsible for failing to address the condition within a reasonable time. However, the situation can differ when another customer creates the hazard.
For example, a shopper may accidentally drop a bottle or spill a drink. The key question becomes whether the store knew or reasonably should have known about the spill and had enough time to clean it up or warn customers. Evidence showing how long the spill was present is important.
Types of Evidence Used To Support a Slip and Fall Lawsuit
An attorney reviewing a claim can use several forms of evidence to determine who is responsible for your injuries, including:
- Surveillance footage
- Employee inspection records
- Incident reports
- Witness statements
- Photographs and videos
- Employee statements
- Cleanup logs and maintenance records
Preserve evidence quickly. Grocery store surveillance footage may be overwritten or deleted after a limited time, and witness details may also become harder to obtain.
Can Grocery Store Security Footage Help My Claim?
Yes, grocery store security footage is valuable evidence. Security cameras can potentially record the condition of the floor, when the hazard appeared, whether employees saw it, and what happened immediately before and after the fall.
However, a store doesn’t always keep its security footage for very long, and sometimes re-records over it. Securing this evidence as soon as possible can be critically important for your grocery store slip and fall case.
Protecting a Slip and Fall Lawsuit at a Pennsylvania Grocery Store
After a slip and fall accident at a Pennsylvania grocery store, there are several steps you can take to help preserve your potential claim. You should:
- Get medical attention: Medical treatment can address injuries from the fall and create a record of your condition after the accident. Keep copies of your medical records and bills.
- Document what happened: Write down when and where the fall occurred and what caused it. If possible, take photographs or videos of the hazardous condition and the surrounding area before it is cleaned up or changed.
- Report the accident: Speak to a store employee or manager and ask them to document the incident. If the store prepares an incident report, ask for a copy for your records.
- Save evidence: Keep photographs, medical records, receipts, witness contact information, and other documents related to the accident and your injuries.
- Be careful about discussing fault: Statements about how the accident happened or the extent of your injuries could later be used to dispute your claim.
Get the Help You Deserve With Your Slip and Fall Claim
If you were injured in a grocery store slip and fall accident, the circumstances, the store’s knowledge of the hazard, and the available evidence can all affect your claim. Preserving evidence and seeking legal advice early can help you determine whether you have grounds for a premises liability case.
At Cordisco & Saile, LLC, we offer free consultations. Let our legal team review what happened, answer your questions, and explain your legal options. To schedule your free appointment, contact us online or call us at 215-642-2335.
