Falling Merchandise

Store managers and property owners sometimes fail to properly secure their merchandise on their premises, which can cause serious injuries to their customers. Knoxville slip and fall lawyer Mark C. Hartsoe can help you if you’ve been injured due to falling merchandise. Mr. Hartsoe is a seasoned personal injury lawyer with a record of helping his clients recover for their injuries in slip and fall and a variety of other cases. Call us today to discuss how we can help you fight for the damages you may be owed.

There are thousands of retail, department, and warehouse stores in Tennessee. With hundreds of shoppers patronizing these stores each year, it is no surprise that injuries can result if the property or business owner does not take the proper precautions to ensure its customers’ safety. Retailers are required to properly stack their merchandise and to train their employees to follow proper safety procedures. Falling merchandise accidents, however, are often the result of a series of mishaps by the retailer. These include:

• Unsecured merchandise. There may not be any physical restraints, such as safety ties or shelf extenders, to ensure that merchandise is securely attached to shelves. Retailers may skimp on these safety measures because of the additional costs involved.
• High stacking. Merchandise may be stacked high above eye-level. A customer may need to use a ladder, step stool, or a grabbing device to reach the product.
• No warning. Merchandise may fall on an unsuspecting customer. There is no sign or notice to warn the customer that an item may fall.

Merchandise that is not properly secured poses a serious risk to customers. If a customer is injured as a result of falling merchandise, he or she may hold the property owner accountable for their injuries.

If you were injured as a result of falling merchandise, you may be able to hold the owner of the premises liable for your injuries. In Tennessee, a property owner’s duty of care to individuals on their property depends largely on why the person is on the property in the first place. A property owner owes a high duty of care to a person considered an invitee. This is a person who is on the premises to conduct business with the property owner or possessor, such as a shopper at a retail store. The property owner or possessor has a duty to protect shoppers from any unsafe conditions on the property. This includes protecting the shopper from any falling merchandise by properly securing products and shelves to prevent injuries.

A property owner who does not exercise this duty of care may be considered negligent. They can be held responsible for the injuries caused by their failure to prevent merchandise from falling on a customer and causing injuries. These injuries can be serious and include head trauma, fractures, and even death.

If falling merchandise caused your injuries, you may hold the property owner or possessor responsible for your injuries. You can seek compensation for medical expenses, long-term care, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Falling merchandise can cause injuries so severe that they lead to death. If your relative died as a result of falling merchandise, Tennessee allows you to file a wrongful death suit against the person or entity responsible for your loss. In this kind of action, you can potentially recover for medical costs, funeral expenses, loss of relationship, and other sums.

Knoxville personal injury attorney Mark C. Hartsoe has extensive experience in the area of premises liability and slip and fall cases. He represents individuals who have suffered injuries caused by a property owner’s negligence. Mr. Hartsoe will carefully investigate your case, gather the evidence, and provide you with the guidance you need to recover for your injuries. He will seek settlement and aggressively represent you at trial if necessary. Call us today at 865-804-1011 or contact us online to discuss your premises liability case.