There is unfortunately a high risk of becoming a victim of a slip and fall accident when shopping at a dollar store. Whether a worker was mopping, another shopper tracked in water on their shoes from outside, or an item fell from a shelf and spilled onto the floor, it is crucial that the business owner, manager, or workers immediately remove the liquid from the floor or place a warning sign out to let customers know about the wet floor. If they fail to do this, you and other shoppers could slip on the wet or slick floor and fall. When this happens, various types of injuries may arise. Below, we will go over six of the most common injuries that individuals often suffer in dollar store slip and fall accidents and how a premises liability lawyer can help you.
1. Broken or fractured bones
One of the injuries that occur most often in slip and fall accidents is a broken or fractured bone. While anyone of any age can suffer a broken or fractured bone, children and elderly people are more prone to these types of injuries, especially when falling. A few of the areas that are likely to experience a broken or fractured bone are the wrists, arms, legs, ankles, hips, and ribs. Depending on how severe your broken or fractured bone is, you may need a cast, splint, surgery, and months of physical therapy.
2. Traumatic brain injuries
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the reason for around half of all TBI-related hospitalizations. A traumatic brain injury usually happens when a slip and fall victim hits their head on the floor or another hard object, such as a store shelf or display table. If items fall on a person, they can also cause a traumatic brain injury.
Traumatic brain injuries are very serious as they can cause bruising, bleeding, and permanent damage within the brain, which can lead to lifelong consequences or even death. A few of the symptoms that may indicate that you have a traumatic brain injury are headaches, nausea, speech issues, light or sound sensitivity, feeling dizzy, memory problems, mood swings, and changes in sleep patterns.
3. Back or spinal cord injuries
Another common injury after a slip and fall accident at a dollar store is a back or spinal cord injury. A back or spinal cord injury can occur during a slip and fall because you may suddenly twist or turn in abnormal ways, causing the muscles, ligaments, nerves, and tissues within the back or spinal cord to become damaged. A spinal cord injury usually never fully heals, which means that they often result in long-term complications and challenges.
4. Cuts and lacerations
Depending on where your fall occurs at the dollar store, you may experience cuts and lacerations. For example, if you fall in the parking lot or on the sidewalk right outside the doorway, you may suffer scrapes and cuts from the pavement or asphalt. If your slip and fall occurs inside the store and there are sharp items or glass nearby, you may suffer deep wounds or lacerations. A few of the most common areas of the body that are most likely to suffer cuts and lacerations are the hands, legs, knees, arms, face, and elbows. If the cuts and lacerations are severe, they could cause scarring and disfigurement.
5. Sprains and strains
A sprain is when the ligaments become stretched and torn, and a strain is when the muscles become stretched and torn. Therefore, as you can see, these injuries are very similar but affect different areas around the joints. During a slip and fall accident, your body may move quickly and forcefully, leading to sprains and strains.
For example, you may twist or turn your ankle by trying to hurry and break your fall, causing a sprained ankle. You may also place your hands out in front of you to prevent yourself from hitting the ground, resulting in sprained or strained wrists. While these types of injuries are known to be less severe than other types of injuries, they can still cause excruciating pain, discomfort, bruising, and inflammation, which can disrupt your daily life and routine for several months or years.
6. Facial, eye, and dental injuries
Facial, eye, and dental injuries frequently lead to physical, mental, and emotional challenges. These injuries usually occur when the facial area experiences some type of impact with the floor or another object during a slip and fall accident. Many people who suffer facial, eye, and dental injuries experience embarrassment, humiliation, low self-esteem, and even isolation, which can permanently affect their quality of life.
Some of the most common facial, eye, and dental injuries that occur in a slip and fall accident at a dollar store are broken or missing teeth, lacerated gums, fractured cheekbones, orbital fractures, broken jawbone, cuts or scratches to the eyeball, loss of vision, and more.
If you or a loved one were recently injured in a dollar store slip and fall accident, please do not hesitate to reach out to a slip and fall accident lawyer from Kwartler Manus, LLC at your earliest convenience. Many people make the mistake of believing that their slip and fall accidents were their own fault. However, the truth is that most slip and fall accidents that occur at dollar stores or other similar locations happen because of the business owner, manager, or another worker’s careless, reckless, or negligent behavior. If you need help navigating this type of claim and determining who is responsible for your accident, our team will gladly assist you. Fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation in Philadelphia or New Jersey today.