Retail therapy is popular for a good reason — it works. Many consumers in Tennessee find that treating themselves to a small purchase after a hard day can really help turn things around. Few people expect to leave a store in worse condition than when they went in though. The reality is that shopping injuries are a real and serious problem.
Victims file thousands of shopping related personal injury claims each and every year. Injuries do tend to peak around certain times of the year, such as the holiday shopping season or shopping holidays like Black Friday. However, this does not mean that it is always safe to go shopping the rest of the year.
What are shopping injuries?
“Shopping injury” is actually an umbrella term that refers to a number of personal injuries that you can suffer when visiting a store or retail establishment. Many shopping injuries are considered minor in nature, but do not let this fool you — even minor injuries can lead to serious problems. Some of the more serious shopping injuries include:
- Head injuries
- Broken bones
- Cuts
You might already be familiar with the concept of slip-and-fall accidents in stores. Many stores in Tennessee have flooring that is very slippery when wet, which puts customers at risk. Wet floors are not the only concern though. Slips and falls can also happen when there is poor lighting or torn carpets or other hazards present.
What Is Causing These Injuries?
While stores might look safe, they are often harboring hidden dangers. For example, poorly stocked shelves are a potential threat to customers because products might fall off and hit them in the head. Even putting a product just out of reach can put a customer in a dangerous position if they cannot locate anyone to help them get it down.
Shopping carts are another big hazard. Stores do not always do a good job of maintaining their shopping carts, and cracked, wobbly, or otherwise unsafe shopping carts can pose a serious hazard to customers. Many shopping injuries are even related to carts tipping over.
Proving Liability
It can be difficult to demonstrate that a store was responsible for your injuries. There are a number of options for doing so though, including proving that the store owner either knew or at least should have known about the dangerous condition. You can also argue that a store owner did not regularly inspect the space for potential hazards.
Shopping injuries can be severe and long-lasting. Many victims struggle with associated medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering for years to come. Addressing these damages can be difficult, but many victims find that they can recover essential compensation by successfully navigating premises liability claims.