Grocery stores, large retail stores, national chains, and malls in New Jersey have large safety manuals for their guidelines and procedures for their customers’ safety. These manuals tend to be inches thick, and many employees are not familiar with a store’s safety guidelines This can be because the employee is new and hasn’t been trained, or the employee has been around so long that he doesn’t follow all the steps anymore.
Many large chains have recently gone bankrupt or been acquired by a bigger company. ShopRite is the largest chain in NJ, but large chains such as Walmart, Target and BJ’s also have a large presence in NJ. There are also up-and-comers like Whole Foods Market 365, Wegman’s and Trader Joe’s. New Jersey is also the home to a large number of specialty stores, mom-and-pop stores, butchers, local delicatessens, bakeries, coffee shops. There are so many retailers in NJ that these stores are a common location for people to slip, fall and get injured in New Jersey.
Is a Grocery Store Liable if I Slip and Fall?
Grocery stores in New Jersey have a legal duty to exercise what is called “reasonable care” for their customers. The business must prevent dangerous conditions in its store or provide warning signs of any hazards in the store. This includes the store’s sidewalk and parking lot.
An example of a dangerous condition can be water on the floor. If the water is from a spill, the store must clean it up before someone slips and gets hurt. If the water was left behind after an employee mopped up a spill, the store must post caution signs warning customers that the floor may be slippery when wet. Businesses must also clean up ice and snow.
What Should I do if I Slip and Fall?
- Immediately report the incident to a manager to store employee
- Make sure the store completes and incident report
- Take the names of the manager and any employees
- If there are other customers who saw you fall, ask for their name and number
- Take photographs of the hazard that caused you to slip and fall
- Call the police or ambulance if you require emergency medical care
- If you left the store without making a report – go back and notify the store
- Contact a NJ personal injury lawyer to discuss your claim
Contact MyNJInjuryLawyer
If you or a loved one is injured in a slip and fall accident at a grocery or retail store in NJ, you should contact an attorney familiar with handling these claims. An experienced NJ Injury Lawyer will know how to obtain the incident report, preserve the store’s video of your fall, and contact the insurance company for the store so you can make a claim for your injuries.
My NJ Injury Lawyer Howard P. Lesnik, Esq. offers free strategy sessions to address any issue or questions you may have your grocery store slip and fall claim in NJ.
Please contact NJ Injury Lawyer Howard Lesnik, Esq., immediately if you were involved in a slip and fall accident at a NJ grocery or retail store. I personally handle NJ personal injury cases on a regular basis. Please contact me now by email, by phoning 908.264.7701, or by completing the form to the right to schedule your complimentary 30-minute strategy session.
