In the last 30 years, Americans have seen the rise of retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Sam’s Club, Costco, and others that operate massive warehouse-style stores with prices that undercut their local competition by providing lower prices and a larger inventory. This larger inventory allows them to offer greater convenience to shoppers by almost always having items in stock for shoppers to purchase. As these stores have grown in size, many have increased the height of their shelves and stock their inventory higher and higher to keep as much inventory in stock as possible. This has led to a significant increase in accidents resulting from merchandise falling from the shelves, which can lead to serious, life-altering injuries and even death.
What causes merchandise to fall?
Merchandise can fall from shelves for numerous reasons. Many stores have policies and procedures in place for how merchandise should be stocked, where certain types of merchandise should be stocked, who is responsible for stocking the merchandise, and how often the merchandise should be inspected to ensure that it is in a safe condition. Despite having these policies and procedures and industry standards to follow, store patrons are frequently injured by falling merchandise while they are shopping because the merchandise was stacked too high, stacked in an unstable manner, shelves were overstocked or broken, or the store and its employees failed to follow their policies, procedures, and industry standards. These tragic accidents are entirely avoidable and preventable if the stores act reasonably and follow all applicable policies and industry standards.
What should I do if I am injured by falling merchandise?
There are several important steps you should take in the event you or a loved one are injured by falling merchandise at a retail store.
- Report the incident to the store immediately;
- Ask for a copy of any incident report the store fills out;
- Ask for names of any witnesses in the area, including their phone number(s);
- Take photographs of the merchandise, where the merchandise fell from, the area the merchandise fell, and of your injuries if possible;
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible; and
- Contact Rafi Law Firm at 404-800-1156 to discuss your legal rights.
Time is of the essence in any injury claim, but especially so in claims involving falling merchandise. Preservation of evidence is extremely important, and the area where the accident occurred may need to be inspected to determine the cause of the accident. The lawyers at Rafi Law Firm are experienced in handling falling merchandise accidents and understand the necessary steps that must be taken to ensure that injured persons receive the maximum compensation they are entitled to from the stores responsible for their injuries.
The lawyers at Rafi Law Firm have helped people by achieving significant financial results for clients involved in accidents where they sustained serious injuries due to falling merchandise. If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident and may have been injured due to falling merchandise, call us at 404-800-1156 for a free consultation.