What Should I Do If I Fall in a Grocery Store in Buffalo, NY?

Going to the grocery store can be a mundane event. But one day, you fall on your back or hit your head while browsing the aisles, and now you’re in serious pain. You’re furious, too. If the store owner had bothered to clean up the mess that led to your slip and fall, this accident would never have happened.

Below, a Buffalo slip-and-fall attorney discusses your next steps after falling in a grocery store.

Steps to Take If You’ve Fallen in a Store

After taking a tumble in the store, picking yourself up and shuffling off without saying a word to anybody is tempting. If you plan to seek compensation, though, you’ll need to do some detective work.

Determine Why You Fell

Look around the accident scene for clues as to why you fell. Sometimes, this is obvious. Perhaps a customer dropped a tomato on the floor and you slipped and fell in the mess. Or maybe an employee forgot to put up warning signs after washing the floor.

If the floor looks clean, inspect it carefully. Look for raised or loose tiles that may have caused you to trip. Feel the floor with your hand, too. Does it feel especially slick? An employee may have used too much wax.

File an Accident Report

Don’t leave the store without filing an accident report. If you skip this step, the store won’t have any record that you fell. When you seek compensation, the store’s insurance company is likely to deny your claim.

Find the manager on duty and tell them what happened. They should give you paperwork to fill out. If the manager isn’t available, give an employee your contact information and tell them to have the manager call you.

Speak to Witnesses

Grocery stores are often crowded, so there’s a good chance someone saw you fall. If you find witnesses, ask for their contact information. Your Buffalo slip-and-fall attorney will likely want to talk to them later to corroborate your version of events.

See a Doctor

Slip-and-fall accidents can be deceptive. You might not be in much pain immediately after the fall, but the next day, you feel as though you’ve been hit by a truck.

This is why it’s important not to delay medical care. Your injuries could be far worse than you initially thought.

A Buffalo trip-and-fall lawyer will also need treatment records to substantiate your case. Without these records, the store’s insurance company will say you’re not badly hurt enough to require a settlement.

How to Win Your Buffalo Slip-and-Fall Case

To win your case, your attorney will need to establish four elements:

• The store owner had a duty of care to you. This simply means they were obligated to keep the store safe for customers.
• The owner breached their duty by not correcting a hazardous condition.
• The hazardous condition caused your accident.
• You sustained compensable damages (doctor’s bills, lost wages, etc.).

Reach Out to a Slip-and-Fall Attorney in Buffalo

If you’ve fallen in a store because of the owner’s negligence, reach out to Cantor, Wolff, Nicastro & Hall LLC. We’ve achieved seven-figure settlements for clients, and our attorneys have a combined 100 years of experience in personal injury law.

For a free consultation with a Buffalo slip-and-fall attorney, contact us online or call (716) 848-8000.