3 common holiday shopping injuries

 Posted on November 10,2017 in Blog

With the holidays coming up, it is time to start shopping. Whether you do it early, take part in the Black Friday madness or do it last minute, it can be a stressful experience. All the crowds and stores packed full of merchandise can not only stress you out, they can also result in injuries. This is often due to the fact that management and employees are so busy that they sometimes do not inspect the stores as diligently or clean up hazards.

The last thing you want to be dealing with this holiday season is recovering from an injury; you deserve to enjoy this season with family and friends. So what are the most common holiday shopping injuries you should avoid? 

1. Slip, trip and fall

Retail stores can have slippery or obstructed floors for a variety of reasons, including:

• Floor polish or wax
• A freshly mopped floor
• Poor lighting
• Fallen merchandise
• Torn carpets
• Escalator malfunctions
• Rain and snow tracked inside

Store owners should be looking out for these conditions and making sure they are cleaned up. 

2. Parking lot injuries

You could get injured while walking to or from your car. Parking lots with significant holes or cracks may cause you to trip, and rain and snow that is not cleaned up can result in you slipping and falling. If the parking lot is not properly lit, you may slip and fall or trip over curbs. 

3. Falling merchandise

Stores tend to be stocked full of new items during the holiday season. This means shelves are stacked high with objects, and they may not be properly balanced. If a piece of merchandise falls down and hits you, you could get a head injury while shopping. 

According to the National Law Review, you should promptly document and report any injuries you get at a store. Watch out for these risks and stay safe this holiday season.