Black Friday gets the attention, but the next two weeks are make or break time for retailers, big-box stores and area malls looking to cash in on the holiday season. Business and property owners must work at least as hard to ensure a safe environment for customers and invited guests as they do at drawing customers into their businesses with last minute sales.
Our premise liability attorneys in Fort Myers and Naples understand the common dangers faced by employees and customers of retailers through the holidays. A business or property owner has an obligation to maintain safe conditions and an environment free of common dangerous conditions like wet floors and loose handrails. When they don’t, and a customer is seriously injured, he or she can and should be compensated for their injuries, including medical bills and pain and suffering.
Even the federal government issued a warning to start the holiday shopping season, when the Occupational Safety & Health Administration issued a stern reminder to some of the nation’s largest retailers regarding their obligation to the safety and welfare of employees and customers.
“Crowd-related injuries during special retail sales and promotional events have increased during recent years,” said Assistant Secretary for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. “Many of these incidents can be prevented… with guidelines for avoiding injuries during the holiday shopping season.”
Common mall accidents and injuries on business property include:
-Wet floors, loose handrails, crack or uneven sidewalks, dark or faulty stairwells
-Elevator and escalator accidents
-Dark parking lots
-Negligent security/Assault on business property
-Evacuation injuries
-Merchandise falling from shelving units
-Parking lot injuries
Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner, Attorneys for the Injured, is a law firm dedicated to representing injury victims in personal injury and wrongful death claims throughout South Florida, including Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples, Port Charlotte and Sebring. Call for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your rights. 1-800-283-2900.