Every business in New Jersey that opens its doors to customers has to have safe and accessible premises. Unfortunately, businesses don’t maintain their facilities well enough to allow safe shopping experiences for their customers.
Many issues can lead to increased risk at the store, but three common and dangerous practices increase your risk of slipping and falling while shopping.
The store uses exposed extension cords
When the business remodels, adds new equipment, or temporarily moves items in their store for a display, they may need to provide electrical power in an area where it is usually unnecessary.
The simplest and cheapest solution is often to use an electrical extension cord to power those devices. However, the business should invest in proper covers for the cords, or they become major tripping hazards.
The store does not have mats or doesn’t clean them
Everyone who walks in from outside tracks a little bit of dirt and possibly precipitation into the facility. Large, absorbent rugs near the front entrance can stop dirt and liquids alike from coming into the store and causing risk to visitors.
When a business does not have mats by the entranceway or when it fails to keep them clean and dry, these practices unnecessarily contribute to the risk of someone slipping and falling inside the store.
The business doesn’t prioritize repairs and maintenance
An upright soda refrigerator with a broken condenser could cause a puddle on the floor. So could a week roof that the owner keeps putting off patching. Maintenance issues for the facility itself and the equipment inside could lead to unsafe circumstances and someone falling.
Understanding when a business is responsible under premises liability rules for your recent injury can help you hold them accountable.
