With the holidays rapidly approaching, many people spend more time than usual in shopping malls and other places of retail trying to find the perfect gifts for their family, friends and loved ones. Something that people are probably not thinking about while they are shopping is about getting injured. Unfortunately, every year thousands of people are injured while shopping and these shopping related injuries tend to increase during busy shopping periods, such as the holiday season.

Shopping injuries can occur when the owner of the retail establishment fails to keep the premises safe or they fail to warn shoppers or visitors of known hazards. A wide variety of injuries can occur while you are shopping. Some of these injuries may be minor, while others can be much more serious such as broken bones, head trauma, neck injury and back injury.  These injuries can be both scary and costly for the injured shopper.

Some examples of shopping related accidents that may occur include slip and falls and parking lot injuries. A slip and fall can occur as a result of a wet floor, torn rugs or carpets, poor lighting or an escalator malfunction. Parking lot injuries are also a common form of shopping injury. These can occur when there is cracked or improperly maintained parking lots, which can causes trips and falls.

Stores and other shopping centers are required to exercise reasonable care of their property and ensure that the property is reasonably safe for patrons. Owners need to rid the store of hidden dangerous or hazardous areas that they believe may cause injury. Owners should clean up spills quickly, fix broken stairs and warn of wet areas.

If you slip and fall or experience an injury while shopping, it is a good idea to contact an experienced personal injury attorney. The attorneys at Martin Law Office have experience with these types of cases and can help to ensure that you receive advice and guidance after an injury.