Falls in Convenience Stores in Indiana: Slips & Falls Due to Wet Floors
Of all the cases we see at Shaw Law, the highest amount comes from customers slipping and falling at a convenience store – like 7/11, Circle K, Speedway, Family Express, Casey’s General Stores, or many of the other ubiquitous convenience stores here in Indiana. The reason is simple – convenience present two huge dangers due to slick, slippery floors:
- They see a large amount of foot traffic during inclement weather; and
- They are notoriously short-staffed – often with just two workers on-duty – to meet the needs of the huge amount of customers they see on a daily basis.
This short-staffing and huge amount of customers leads to problems with liquid on floors – whether it is spilled coffee, snow or ice that gets tracked in on customers’ feet, or other reasons for liquid to be on the floors.
Owner’s Duty of Care to Patrons
Convenience store falls often result in severe injuries. This is due to the flooring usually consisting of easy-to-maintain hard tile where a fall can result in broken bones, torn tendons/ligaments, or worse. Wet floors are bound to happen from time to time in convenience stores and other places of business. While floors becoming wet cannot always be prevented, convenience stores have an obligation to clean up spills and wetness in a timely manner and provide proper warning to patrons with appropriate caution signs.
The warning sign is a particularly problematic issue for most persons or customers who have fallen at a convenience store. Savvy convenience store owners or managers have “learned” through clever lawyers that it is “safer” to display yellow warning signs, menu-board warning signs, orange cones, or “Beware of Wet Floor” signage 24/7 – whether a wet floor actually exists or not. The thought behind this tactic is to always have a defense of adequate warning anytime a customer falls.
Ironically, the ever-present and ubiquitous warning sign has made things more dangerous for the customer rather than safer – as we have all become accustomed to seeing a “Beware of Wet Floor” sign or orange cone or warning sign whenever we enter a convenience store now, the “warning” has worn off and means nothing to the average customer anymore. We often point out to juries the inefficacy of the ever-present warning sign in convenience store litigation.
Learn How Shaw Law Can Help You
When a person falls on a wet floor in a convenience store, they are likely to suffer injuries. Some injuries from a slip and fall on a wet floor can be disabling and severe. Victims injured in falls on wet floors in convenience stores are encouraged to call our slip and fall lawyers in Indiana today to learn what compensation you may be entitled to for your injuries.
Here at Shaw Law, we know how dangerous wet floors can be in stores. Victims who fall on a wet floor can suffer life-changing injuries, including head injuries and spinal cord injuries. Wet floors are often due to the negligence of a store owner, including failing to have the proper mats down, wipe the floor, clean slips, and other issues that stores should be able to handle quickly.
If you or a loved one were injured in fall on wet floors in convenience stores, call our trip-and-fall lawyers in Indiana for a FREE consultation to learn how we can help you and your family recover compensation for your personal injuries.
Common Reasons Why Convenience Stores Have Wet Floors
There are many different reasons for why convenience stores may have wet floors. While wet floors are bound to happen as mentioned above, it is still the obligation of the convenience store owner and its employees to clean up wet floors in a timely manner and provide appropriate warning to patrons to avoid slip and falls.
The most common reasons for why convenience stores have wet floors include the following:
- Freshly mopped floors
- Spills from drinks, cleaning agents, and other liquids
- Wetness trekked in from rainstorms or snowstorms
- Freshly waxed floors
- Leaks from AC units
- Leaks from refrigeration units
- Roof leaks
- Other causes of wet floors in convenience stores
Personal Injuries After a Convenience Store Fall on a Wet Floor
Falls on a wet floor in a convenience store can lead to serious injuries and most of the time are entirely preventable if spills are cleaned up in a reasonable time and appropriate warning is provided. The most common injuries seen after a fall on a wet floor in a convenience store include the following:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Hip injuries
- Ankle injuries
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Broken bones or fractures
- Other injuries from falls on a wet convenience store floor, including wrongful death
Falls on Wet Floors in Convenience Stores Are Very Serious: Call Our Slip and Fall Lawyers for Help
Victims who are injured by a fall on a wet convenience store floor in Indiana should call our experienced slip and fall lawyers at Shaw Law for a FREE consultation to learn more about what your rights may be under the law.
Call Shaw Law at (260) 777-7777 or by send us a message through our “Contact Us” box.
