Retail Store Accidents: Holiday Shopping Season Angst

 Posted on November 10, 2015 in Personal Injury

Local area shopping centers will be a hubbub of activity during the upcoming holiday season. However, a routine trip for eager holiday shoppers can end in injuries as both in-store and parking lot accidents are common.

Dangerous Parking Lot Conditions

Various scenarios can cause serious or fatal outdoor retail store injuries. And while using common sense and taking proper precautions can help, parking lot accidents inevitably occur and can be caused by the following circumstances:

• Congested parking lots and insufficient security;
• Poor parking lot conditions such as a failure to clear snow, a poorly designed parking scheme, or inadequate lot lighting;
• Distracted, aggressive, or inattentive drivers rushing to find a coveted parking spot; and
• Unenforceable traffic laws in private lots.

Headaches As You Head Inside

Heading inside a shopping mall can also be a source of harm—slippery store entrances or floors, improper signage and/or inadequate patrolling by mall security, dangerously stacked merchandise displays or decorations, defective elevators, and malfunctioning escalators can all result in personal injuries.

Additionally, each year during peak shopping seasons, one major concern is overcrowding in stores. The infamous “Black Friday” sales, which seem to begin earlier each year, result in large crowds of shoppers anxiously awaiting the release of the season's lowest prices on highly coveted items. However, these large crowds can ultimately lead to instances of trampling.

Each of these scenarios can end in death or serious injury. Moreover, sustained injuries can require lengthy and expensive rehabilitative treatment and medical costs can be extremely high. However, if you are a successful litigant, you may then be able to recover monetary awards to cover the costs of your care and recovery. A skilled personal injury attorney can help.

Caring Legal Representation

If you are injured in a retail store accident due to an oversight or the absence of proper safety measures, you may have legal recourse. This is especially true if the offending condition was preventable yet the store owner failed to correct it in a reasonable amount of time. Please contact an experienced DuPage County personal injury attorney at Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices today to discuss your case, rights and options.

Sources:

http://albany.edu/gp/files/Parking_Lots_Where_Motorists_Become_Pedestrians.pdf

https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/Crowd_Control.html