Falling Cans of Seafood At Local Supermarket Result in Lawsuit

Market Basket is in the midst of a premises liability lawsuit after a patron claimed she was injured by falling seafood.

According to WCVB, 74-year-old Ida Clement is alleging Market Basket was negligent after she was struck by several bottles of clam juice, which had fallen off of a shelf at the Derry, New Hampshire store in 2012. According to Clement, she was reaching for cans of tuna fish, when the “heavy” bottles of clam juice fell from a shelf above and hit her—even before she touched anything on the shelf. Clement was forced to undergo multiple surgeries to treat her injuries.

Accidents that involve falling merchandise can be embarrassing for a victim. There may be a multitude of reasons why merchandise falls off a shelf, including products being stocked too high or being unsecured due to items of different sizes being stacked on top of each other, vibrations, or because store employees receive little or no training in proper stocking techniques. Head injuries, back injuries, and broken or sprained bones are often a result of being struck by falling merchandise.

Prevent falling merchandise accidents

Falling merchandise accidents are relatively easy to prevent. Managers and store owners should execute proper training procedures for all store employees, post signs to warn customers of the risks of falling merchandise, and/or block aisles when stocking is in progress. Merchants usually know about the dangers of falling merchandise but are sometimes lax to warn or safeguard their customers. When merchants negligently or carelessly fail to make their stores safe, they could be liable for injuries their customers sustain.

In addition to falling merchandise accidents, customers may also face risks such as slip and fall accidents due to spills, merchandise on the floor, or other building hazards.

Premises Liability

When business owners fail to ensure that their property is safe and someone is injured as the result of these unsafe conditions, the business owner may be liable for those injuries.

If you or a loved one was injured as the result of unsafe premises, it is generally in your best interest to contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights and options. At the law offices of Altman & Altman, our seasoned Premises Liability Attorneys have nearly 50 years of experience handling all types of personal injury cases and we have the resources to assist our clients into accessing the best in medical care as well as helping to achieve the financial compensation they deserve. Call our office today if you’ve been injured, to schedule your appointment with someone from our team. Our attorneys are available around the clock to answer any and all questions about your case and initial consultations are completely free and confidential.

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