Holidays are a busy time, especially for grocery stores. Families make delicious lunches and dinners and make all of their best dishes during this time. This requires a lot of grocery shopping. One of the most common types of accident during the holiday season are slips and falls. The reason may be spilled milk or water, icy entrances, or simply because there are too many people out there.
If you were injured in a slip-and-fall accident inside a grocery store during the holiday season, you must be upset and angry about missing out on spending fun time with your friends and family. The last thing you want is an accident to ruin your holiday spirit. If you have incurred serious injuries and other damages, talk to a Newport Beach personal injury attorney today.
Tips to avoid holiday slip and fall injuries inside a grocery store
- Go out wearing proper footwear.
Always wear footwear depending on the weather outside, especially when the weather is bad. You must wear the appropriate shoes for rain and snow because the risk of falling on slippery and icy surfaces increases significantly. If you are wearing shoes, make sure the soles are of good quality and are textured instead of plain. Shoes with laces are better as they provide extra support and stability.
- Be on the lookout for sticky spilled substances.
Sticky floors are a common occurrence inside grocery stores during the holiday season. Drinks, food items, and other things can fall on the floor, and when not cleaned for a long time, they create a sticky surface. Moreover, during the holiday season, department stores are usually overcrowded during the holidays, and the customers outnumber the employees. Employees may be unable to spot the hazardous area immediately, leading to slips and falls.
- Avoid walking too fast or running.
When going to the grocery store to buy ingredients for dinner, make sure you are in no hurry or rush. Go to the store when you have time so you won’t be tempted to rush from one side of the store to the other. Running is also not ideal inside a grocery store. Take time to navigate potential slip and fall hazards and keep an eye out for uneven surfaces, wet floors, spilled drinks, sticky surfaces, objects lying around, etc.
- Use your phone’s flashlight for areas with inadequate lighting.
If the grocery store in your neighborhood has bad lighting or one of the bulbs does not work, you can use your phone’s flashlight to watch your steps. This is especially important if you have bad vision. If a lightbulb is burnt out and you slip, it is the store’s fault, and you are entitled to compensation.