Georgia Personal Injury Trial Attorneys

Slips, Trips and Falls at The Market

By: Fry | Goehring

grocery store

The hustle and bustle of the Christmas season bring hordes of holiday shoppers to Atlanta stores. It’s a time of year that combines busy crowds with wintry conditions, which can sometimes lead to slips, trips, falls, and bumps in the marketplace. Store employees are often too busy with the holiday rush to stay on top of their other duties, such as cleaning up spills, stocking shelves properly, or keeping walkways clear of ice and other debris.

The result of such negligence can be significant injury and loss of work at a time of year when you should be celebrating the holidays. One slip and fall at the market can be both physically and financially devastating to an unsuspecting customer.

STANDARD OF CARE

Previously, the State of Georgia had provided for summary judgment in such cases, meaning that property owners could argue in their defense that invitees (e.g. market customers) could be partially liable to show due care to avoid tripping and falling while on their premises. Georgia courts have since agreed that a standard of care, or duty of owner, should be emphasized in slip and fall cases. If a property owner fails to exercise ordinary care to prevent accidental trip hazards, they can be held liable for slips and falls on the premises.

In other words, the burden was removed from the fall victim to show due diligence in watching where he or she was walking and placed on the property owner for their failure to provide safe conditions for guests/customers. That’s an important legal distinction that your Atlanta personal injury trial lawyer will vigorously employ on your behalf.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip and fall accident at a business in the Atlanta area, you have a compassionate advocate for your rights, ready to fight for you. Fry | Goehring will assist you with your slip and fall accident. We have years of proven success in gaining settlements or successfully litigating on clients’ behalf when necessary.

Call or come see us in midtown Atlanta and we will provide you a free initial consultation on your trip and fall accident, or send us your case info here. We can discuss your case in full confidentiality and help you determine the proper course of action to get the best resolution for you.