Every week, Georgians visit Sprouts for their grocery needs. None of them assume they will leave the store with an injury, but it sometimes happens. If you slip, fall, and get hurt in a Sprouts store, what should you do next? We’ll cover the facts below, but your first call should be a Sprouts slip and fall accident and injury lawyer in Georgia.
Our slip and fall lawyers at John Foy & Associates know what it takes to win injury claims. We can help you determine who was truly at fault and how much your damages are worth. We also don’t take a fee unless we win you money. To get started with a FREE consultation, call us at (404) 400-4000 or contact us online today.
Quick Facts About Sprouts Farmers Market
Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. has various cities throughout Georgia, including Atlanta, Lawrenceville, Marietta, Suwanee, and Peachtree Corners. Sprouts is a supermarket chain specializing in natural and organic produce, groceries, deli items, baked goods, bulk foods, supplements, and more.
With its wide variety of merchandise, both packaged and unpackaged, Sprouts has potential hazards that may lead to slip and fall accidents. If the store is not careful enough to notice and clean up dangerous situations quickly enough, they may be negligent if a customer becomes injured.
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Premises Liability and Sprouts Stores in Georgia
Stores like Sprouts in Georgia have a legal duty to maintain safe premises for their customers. If they fail in this duty and a customer gets injured as a result, the store may be liable for damages. Those damages can include:
- Medical costs
- Lost wages
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
You should not have to pay for costs that are caused by the store’s negligence. If you can show that your slip and fall accident happened because of unsafe conditions, you likely have a valid case. To seek compensation for your damages, you will need to file a personal injury claim with Sprouts’s insurance company.
How Slip and Fall Accidents Can Happen at Sprouts in Georgia
There are many different ways a slip and fall accident can happen at a store like Sprouts. Here are some common examples of how an accident might occur.
Stepping on Spilled Merchandise
Supermarkets have a lot of free-standing produce and bulk items that can spill onto the floor. Customers who are focused on shopping and (understandably) not looking for dropped items on the floor can easily slip and fall.
Store employees should be diligent about watching for any merchandise that has fallen onto store floors. If those employees do not notice and clean up the items within a reasonable amount of time, they may be found at fault in your accident.
Wet Floors
If an employee is cleaning or mopping store floors, they must display a sign to warn customers that there is a wet floor hazard. If they fail to do this, they can be liable for any slip and fall accidents that occur.
Similarly, liquids from beverages, broken bottles, water leaks, or wetness from snow or ice outside can pose a risk to customers. Employees must watch for spills. Otherwise, they may be at fault for resulting injury accidents.
Poor Lighting
Poor lighting in a walkway or store section may lead to slip and fall accidents. If the accident wouldn’t have happened with better lighting, the store may be liable.
Uneven Flooring
Uneven or cracked floors may cause slip and fall accidents. The same can be said of folded, torn, or frayed mats or rugs.
Store Displays
Sometimes, items are displayed in haphazard ways that may cause a customer to slip and fall. The store may be at fault if employees should have fixed or moved the display to a safe location.
These are just a few examples. No matter the exact cause of a slip and fall accident injury, the store may be legally responsible if they had reasonable notice of a dangerous condition and time to remedy it. This is hard to determine alone, which is why it’s best to consult with a slip and fall accident and injury lawyer who can look at the facts.
Proving a Sprouts Store Was Liable
A store in Georgia may be liable for a slip and fall accident if:
- They caused the unsafe or dangerous condition that led to the accident (such as slippery floors from mopping) or
- They knew about the unsafe condition but did not fix it within a reasonable amount of time
In either of the above scenarios, you—as the slip and fall accident victim—will need to prove that the store either knew or should have known about the unsafe condition.
If the store did not cause the condition, you will need to demonstrate that:
- The hazard was present long enough for the store to have become aware of it
- The store knew the unsafe condition could be a hazard but did not have had a system in place to find and clean up these types of hazards
- The unsafe condition was not so obvious that you could have reasonably avoided it without the store’s intervention
For example, if you slipped and fell on a fallen produce item at Sprouts, you will need to show that the item was on the floor long enough for an employee to see it and pick it up. You’ll also need to demonstrate how the item was not obvious enough for you to have avoided it.
You will also need to get medical attention as soon as possible after the accident. It’s vital to document your injuries. Never assume the store will help you with getting medical treatment right after the accident. They will more likely be looking for ways to fight your claim from the beginning.
Don’t Wait to Get Started With Your Slip and Fall Accident Claim
In Georgia, according to Georgia Code section 9-3-33, you must bring an injury case within two years from the date of your accident. If you do not take action soon enough, you may lose any chance of potential compensation. This time goes quickly, so it’s best to reach out to a trusted Sprouts slip and fall accident and injury lawyer as soon as you can.
Talk to a Sprouts Slip and Fall Accident and Injury Lawyer in Georgia for Free
John Foy & Associates can help you with every aspect of your slip and fall accident claim. We know how to handle greedy insurance companies that care most about their bottom line. Don’t get taken advantage of and miss out on the full compensation you deserve.
Call us for a FREE consultation at (404) 400-4000 or contact us online to get started today. We’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your call.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form