Plant Store Slip & Fall

Everyone loves a plant store. In the spring and summer it is wonderful to wander the aisles full of sweet smelling blooms and bushy green foliage, just enjoying all of the natural beauty. In the cold of winter, when nothing grows out of doors, a plant store can provide a little natural therapy and relief from the barren landscape. Unfortunately, all of these joys are not without a few risks.

Dangerous Slippery Surfaces 

Plants require soil and water. Water can spill and cause slippery surfaces. Wet soil is also slick; dry soil can provide poor footing. Generally, plant store employees take good care of their charges. This means that they water and tend to the plants regularly. But sometimes an employee can forget to clean up the water. Once in a while it is a case of true neglect, when an employee simply leaves a mess on the sales floor for an unsuspecting patron to hurt themselves with. However, most plant stores require that even after an employee has mopped up any stray water that they should put up safety signs. These signs can’t be missed as they are generally bright in color, with easy to understand text and pictures to illustrate the danger. While this does not happen often, it is possible  that an employee can neglect to put a caution sign out.

Now imagine that you have come to enjoy the plant store. Perhaps you wish to purchase a lovely African violet for the home. Or, you are putting in your summer vegetable plot and have tomatoes on your mind. An employee has just watered the plants in the section. Perhaps he or she was called away by a customer or perhaps they were just neglectful, either way, he or she has not put out a safety sign as required by store watering policy.

Most of the dripping water has gone into the built in drains on the concrete floor. But there is still enough water there to make the floor slippery. You are engrossed in the plants and do not notice. Your foot slips and you fall. Sound unbelievable? It’s not! Falls like this happen in plant shops all of the time. All it takes is just one act of negligence and you may be facing months of pain, huge hospital bills or even worse.

Accidental Falls Are Not Uncommon

Sadly, slipping and falling due to negligence is not an uncommon occurrence. Plant stores try to maintain safe premises by using special slanting floors that empty into many drains and by training their employees in a number of safety first procedures. They don’t want to have people injured by wet floors or watering hoses left laying around on the floor. They know that if a customer falls because of negligence then they will be liable.

If you have fallen and suffered harm from a plant store not having a proper water safety schedule -or because their employee failed to follow the safety procedures- then you may be entitled to sue the store for damages. If you have suffered a sever injury like head trauma, spinal or other back injuries, broken bones or torn skin then you may be able to have most, if not all, of your medical expenses paid. If you have suffered a less severe injury that required medical treatment, you may still be entitled to compensation. Depending on your injuries and the circumstances around them, you may qualify for quality of life payments.

Be Proactive When Injured

If it happened to you, it could happen to someone else. Plant stores, like all other public places, must do all that they can to keep their premises safe. Never be afraid to see justice done. It just may prevent more injuries.