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Emergency rooms see a spike in visits every December, with some doctors estimating an increase of 10–15%. Some of these visits are not preventable. However, many of them are preventable and are the result of negligence on the part of businesses. To encourage holiday safety, we’ve outlined some of the most common injuries and where they commonly occur.
An estimated 66 children are treated for cart-related injuries every day. That number increases during the hectic holiday shopping season. DWKMRS had a case where a child was injured after falling out of a grocery cart that had a non-functioning latch. The entire purpose of a cart’s seat belt is to keep a child safe. Unfortunately, latches often break, don’t fully latch, or easily unlatch.
Grocery stores don’t inspect latches. Yet store displays are designed to entice children to reach for products. Orlando Personal Injury Attorney Kenneth McKenna explains, “It’s all scientifically geared to get your money. There’s a reason that every aisle has a toy within arm’s reach at exactly the height of the shopping cart platform where the kids sit.”
Businesses have an obligation to keep their customers safe. Wet floors and out of code building modifications are two examples of hazards. DWKMRS had a case where a client fell off a ledge outside of a well known pizza joint. Our client was badly injured. The threat to safety was obvious, which is why it was designated as an area for employees. However the area was directly outside of the restaurant and accessible to patrons. “Under no circumstances should customers be exposed to danger,” McKenna states, “and it’s the restaurant’s obligation to ensure a safe environment.”
There’s a science to steps. The brain expects every step to be the same. If a step is even a fraction of an inch off, people can fall or trip. This is one reason why stairs can be dangerous. There’s a famous video (see below) of a subway exit in New York that had an uneven step. Every third person stumbles as a result of that step. Fortunately no one in the video was injured as a result. A few days after the video went viral, the step was repaired.
Be aware, not fearful. To put it all in perspective, McKenna points out, “People dine out, shop, and buy a lot in December. They’re living their lives out in the world — and that’s a good thing.”
Even practicing holiday safety accidents do happen, and some are caused by negligent businesses. If you believe that you or a loved one has been affected by the negligence of a business during the holidays, contact our expert personal injury attorneys for your free consultation.
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