Grocery stores are often hotbeds for slip-and-fall hazards. When you are shopping for items, you may encounter wet tiles, discarded debris, damaged flooring and other safety risks.
If one of these risks causes you to fall, you may be able to pursue compensation for your injuries from the store’s owner. Taking four important steps may boost your chances of recovering completely.
1. Notify the store’s leadership
If you fall in a busy grocery store, there is a good chance an employee witnessed the accident. Still, rather than relying on a low-level employee to inform his or her manager, you should notify the store’s leadership of your fall. This may require completing an incident report form.
2. Talk to witnesses
Witnesses are often invaluable in helping to assign blame after slip-and-fall accidents. If other customers saw your fall, ask them to jot down their memories of the incident. Also, request the names and contact details for all potential witnesses, as you may need more information in the future.
3. Take some photographs
Provided you can do so without endangering yourself or others, use the camera on your smartphone to capture the hazard that caused your fall. Then, snap some photographs of your injuries and your recovery process.
4. Go to the doctor
Even though a fall may leave you with life-altering injuries, your symptoms may not appear immediately. Therefore, even if you feel fine, you should always go to the doctor after a slip or fall in a retail space.
You may have to continue to see your physician throughout your recovery. You may also need specialist care. Regardless, prioritizing your health and taking a few other steps may help you obtain the compensation you deserve.