What To Do If You Are Injured in a Supermarket Accident
You may not think of the supermarket as a hazardous place, but every year, many customers and employees are injured in supermarket accidents through no fault of their own. Injured customers have different legal approaches than injured employees when it comes to seeking compensation, and you need an experienced and highly competent attorney like the ones at The Law Office of Andrew S. Maze to handle each situation. We have compiled this guide to supermarket accident injuries to help both customers and employees who have become victims of a supermarket accident know what to do next.
Supermarket Accident Guide for Customers
Grocery store customers can be injured by a diverse array of threats, including wet floors, spills, loose produce, falling items, faulty doors, and unattended products in the aisles. Many of these threats can result in slip-and-fall accidents that can lead to serious injuries like concussions, broken bones, spine injuries, burns, and more. In addition to pain and suffering from the injury, the hurt customer will likely also rack up expensive medical bills and may even need to stop working for an extended period of time, losing out on wages they would otherwise have been bringing home. All of these issues are considered damages that the customer can hope to receive compensation for.
What To Do If You Are Injured in a Supermarket Accident as a Customer
Under New Jersey premises liability regulations, it is the responsibility of supermarkets to make sure that their store is safe. Stores that fail to create a reasonably safe shopping environment are negligent and have failed in their duty of care. However, it is also important to note that the burden of proof for New Jersey grocery store accident cases is on the plaintiff. In other words, for you to receive compensation, your legal representation must prove in a court of law that the grocery store was negligent and that this negligence resulted in your injuries.
The first thing to do if injured in a supermarket is to inform the store manager and seek immediate attention, including having the manager write up an incident report. This serves to create a paper trail directly linking your injuries to the accident. You should make sure to document your accident and injuries by collecting evidence like photos, witness statements, store incident reports, and medical records. As soon as possible, make sure to contact The Law Office of Andrew S. Maze for a consultation so we can help you assess your legal options.
Supermarket Accidents – A Guide For Employees
Grocery store employees face many of the same injury threats as grocery store customers, as well as some unique hazards. The physically demanding and repetitive nature of grocery store work makes employees vulnerable to conditions like muscle strains, back injuries, tennis elbow, tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, finger injuries, and rotator cuff injuries. Additionally, employees are also vulnerable to the same sorts of slip-and-fall and unsafe environmental accidents that threaten customers. Grocery store employees can maximize their safety by following the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines in the workplace, but even this is not always enough to guarantee their safety.
What To Do If You Suffer a Supermarket Accident as an Employee
If you are ever injured in a supermarket accident as an employee, then your case is regulated by New Jersey’s workplace injury law rather than just by premises liability regulations. Grocery store workers need to understand workplace injury law because, according to OSHA, thousands of grocery store employees in the USA are injured on the job every year. New Jersey has a “No Fault” workers’ compensation system in which employees can waive their ability to sue employers for workplace injuries in exchange for swift access to compensation. The system was set up in this way so injured workers could get compensated for medical bills and lost wages without having to file an expensive lawsuit against their employer.
If you are injured while working in a grocery store, your next steps are similar to those taken by an injured customer. You should inform your manager of the accident, seek immediate medical attention, take care to document the accident and your injuries, and contact The Law Office of Andrew S. Maze so we can help you weigh your legal options.
Supermarket Accidents
If you have been the victim of a supermarket accident injury as a customer or as an employee, you will need compassionate, experienced, and effective legal representation to seek the compensation that you deserve. If you have been injured at a grocery store or anywhere else, contact The Law Office of Andrew S. Maze so we can represent and protect your legal interests.