New York Retail Store Injury Lawyers
If you were injured in a retail store in New York, you may have a claim if the store created a dangerous condition, knew about the hazard, or should have discovered it through reasonable inspections. Retail store injury cases often come down to what the store knew, when it knew it, and whether employees followed basic inspection and safety procedures.
These cases often turn on evidence the store controls, including surveillance footage, incident reports, cleaning logs, inspection records, employee testimony, and proof of prior complaints.
The Law Office of Michael H. Joseph, PLLC represents people injured in supermarkets, department stores, shopping centers, big box stores, convenience stores, pharmacies, restaurants, and other commercial properties throughout New York City, including Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn, as well as White Plains, Westchester County, and the surrounding areas. We know how stores and insurance companies defend these claims, and we move quickly to preserve the evidence needed to prove what happened.
Call our New York City office at (212) 858-0503 or our White Plains office at (914) 574-8330 today for a free consultation. There are no upfront fees for personal injury cases.
Why Retail Store Accidents Happen
Retail stores are busy environments with constant customer traffic, moving merchandise, deliveries, spills, cleaning crews, and changing displays. When stores fail to inspect the property properly or ignore dangerous conditions, serious accidents can happen quickly.
Common causes of retail store accidents include:
- Wet floors
- Leaking refrigerators or freezers
- Falling merchandise
- Unsafe shelving or displays
- Cracked sidewalks
- Snow and ice hazards
- Unsafe entrances and exits
- Broken flooring
- Defective conveyor belts
- Poor lighting
- Failure to warn customers about hazards
Stores are not automatically liable simply because someone was injured on the property. However, when a business creates a dangerous condition or allows a hazard to remain without fixing it, the store may be held financially responsible for the injuries that result.
The Store Has a Responsibility To Keep Customers Safe
When customers enter a retail store, they have the right to expect reasonably safe conditions. Property owners, businesses, and companies leasing commercial property are responsible for maintaining safe premises for the people they invite onto the property.
Our New York City retail store injury lawyers have handled claims involving dangerous conditions in:
- Supermarkets
- Department stores
- Shopping centers
- Big box stores
- Convenience stores
- Retail chains
- Commercial properties
Whether you slipped and fell on a wet floor, suffered injuries because merchandise fell from a display, or were hurt because of an unsafe entrance, egress, or walkway, our New York City and White Plains accident attorneys know how to investigate these claims and pursue compensation.
Common Retail Store Injury Cases We Handle
Our New York City personal injury lawyers and White Plains accident attorneys handle a wide range of retail store injury claims throughout New York. Dangerous store conditions can lead to serious injuries when businesses fail to maintain safe premises for customers.
Unsafely Stacked Merchandise and Falling Displays
Overloaded shelves, unstable displays, and improperly stacked merchandise can cause serious head injuries, neck injuries, fractures, and traumatic brain injuries. Stores have a responsibility to secure products safely and prevent merchandise from falling onto customers.
Spills and Leaks – Slip and Fall Accidents
Wet floors, leaking refrigerators, spilled liquids, icy entryways, and recently mopped surfaces are common causes of retail store slip and fall accidents. Stores may be liable when employees fail to clean hazards or warn customers about dangerous conditions. If employees mopped the floor and failed to put out a warning sign, the customer may have a claim.
Unsafe Entrances and Sidewalks
Customers may suffer injuries from cracked sidewalks, broken stairs, poor lighting, snow and ice, or dangerous store entrances and egress areas.
Dangerous Conveyor Belts
Checkout conveyor belt injuries may involve items falling from the belt, missing or inadequate guards, or moving parts that were not properly covered or maintained.
Failure To Warn About Dangerous Conditions
Retail stores have a duty to warn customers about hazards that are not immediately obvious, including wet floors, unsafe walkways, maintenance work, and blocked aisles.
Common Injuries in Retail Store Accidents
Retail store accidents can cause serious injuries that require emergency medical treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, and ongoing care. Some victims recover within weeks, while others continue dealing with chronic pain and physical limitations long after the accident.
Common injuries in retail store accident cases include:
- Broken bones
- Head injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Knee injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Lacerations and facial injuries
Retail store accidents can cause severe injuries, especially when victims fall on hard surfaces or are struck by falling merchandise.
What To Do After a Retail Store Injury
If you already received medical treatment after a retail store accident, the next steps you take can still affect your ability to pursue compensation. Stores and insurance companies often begin investigating these claims immediately, which is why protecting evidence and documenting your injuries is important.
Continue Medical Treatment
Follow your doctor’s recommendations and attend all follow-up appointments. Gaps in treatment may allow the insurance company to argue that your injuries are not serious.
Preserve Evidence and Records
Save medical records, receipts, photographs, incident reports, and any communication related to the accident. Surveillance footage and witness information can become important evidence in a retail store injury claim.
Speak With a Retail Store Injury Lawyer
An attorney can investigate the accident, preserve evidence, communicate with the insurance company, and help you pursue compensation for your injuries and financial losses.
How Stores and Insurance Companies Defend These Claims
Retail stores and insurance companies aggressively defend premises liability cases. In many situations, stores argue that they had no notice of the dangerous condition or that the hazard was obvious enough for the injured person to avoid.
Insurance companies may also argue:
- The dangerous condition appeared moments before the accident
- The injured person was distracted
- The injuries are exaggerated
- Medical treatment was unnecessary
- Pre-existing conditions caused the symptoms
- Surveillance footage does not support the claim
Our New York accident attorneys understand these defense tactics and know how to investigate retail store injury claims thoroughly. Surveillance footage, maintenance records, witness testimony, inspection logs, and expert analysis can all help establish liability.
How Liability Is Proven in a Retail Store Injury Case
To recover compensation in a retail store injury case, injured victims generally must prove that the property owner or business acted negligently.
This often involves showing:
- A dangerous condition existed
- The store created the condition or knew about it
- The store failed to repair or address the hazard
- The dangerous condition caused the injury
- The victim suffered damages as a result
Evidence used in an injury case may include surveillance video, accident reports, photographs, employee testimony, maintenance records, cleaning schedules, and medical documentation.
The sooner an attorney begins investigating the accident, the better the chances of preserving critical evidence before it is lost or destroyed.
What Compensation Can You Recover?
A serious retail store injury can affect every part of your life. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may be entitled to compensation for:
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Medical expenses
- Rehabilitation costs
- Future medical treatment
- Permanent disability
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
The value of a claim depends on factors such as the severity of the injuries, the medical treatment required, and the long-term impact on the victim’s daily life and ability to work.
Let Our Experience Work for You
The Law Office of Michael H. Joseph, PLLC has represented injured victims throughout New York for more than 25 years. Our attorneys are veterans of the New York court system and have handled premises liability and retail store injury cases throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Rockland County, White Plains, and Westchester County.
Our attorneys are members of organizations including:
- New York State Trial Lawyers Association
- American Association for Justice
- New York County Bar Association
- Westchester County Bar Association
We prepare every case aggressively from the beginning and pursue the strongest possible result for our clients. Our legal team understands how serious retail store injuries can become and how important financial recovery is after a preventable accident.
Our Midtown Manhattan office is conveniently located near Herald Square and Penn Station. Our White Plains office is located near the Westchester County courthouses.
Frequently Asked Questions About Retail Store Injury Claims
Retail store injury claims often raise questions about liability, evidence, and compensation. Below are answers to some common concerns injured victims have after an accident.
Can I Sue a Store If I Got Hurt in New York?
You may be able to sue a store if the business was negligent in maintaining the property, created a dangerous condition, or allowed a dangerous condition to remain without fixing it or warning customers. A store is not automatically liable just because someone was injured on the property. In most cases, the claim depends on whether the store knew or reasonably should have known about the hazard and failed to take appropriate action.
What if another customer caused the dangerous condition?
A store can still be liable if employees knew, or reasonably should have known, about the dangerous condition and failed to clean it up or warn customers before the accident occurred.
How long do I have to file a retail store injury lawsuit in New York?
New York law limits the amount of time you have to file a personal injury lawsuit to 3 years in most cases. Since deadlines can vary depending on the circumstances, it is important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible.
What if the store claims the accident was my fault?
Stores and insurance companies often attempt to shift blame onto injured customers. Surveillance footage, witness statements, photographs, and accident reports may help establish what actually caused the accident.
Contact Our New York Retail Store Injury Lawyers
If you were injured in a retail store, supermarket, restaurant, shopping center, or commercial property in New York City or White Plains, the attorneys at the Law Office of Michael H. Joseph, PLLC are ready to help.
Our New York City accident attorneys and White Plains personal injury lawyers know how to investigate dangerous conditions, preserve evidence, and pursue compensation from negligent businesses and insurance companies.
Call our New York City office at (212) 858-0503 or our White Plains office at (914) 574-8330 today for a free consultation.