Falling Merchandise

When a vendor’s goods are not properly placed or stored, they can fall on an unsuspecting shopper and cause significant harm. The premises liability attorneys at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon help Miami victims who have been hurt by falling merchandise while on someone else’s property. We work hard to maximize their chances of getting fair compensation for their injuries.

If a large store or warehouse uses high or crowded shelves to stock products, visitors may be harmed by falling merchandise. There are multiple causes that lead to these types of injuries, such as:

• Inadequate shelving to hold heavy merchandise;
• Merchandise that is not stacked properly;
• Lack of warning to shoppers of the potential, known risk; or
• Merchandise that is not sufficiently secured on a high shelf.

If you’ve been hurt as a result of falling merchandise on someone else’s premises, you may file a personal injury lawsuit to pursue compensation from those responsible. To succeed on such a claim, you must show that the property owner breached his or her duty of care. Businesses and their employees owe a high standard of care to customers, patrons, or guests. Under this duty, owners must conduct regular inspections of the premises for dangerous conditions, including how and where merchandise is stored.

In Florida, an injured person must show that the business knew, or should have known, of a dangerous condition on its property, and that it should have taken action to fix or warn of the hazard. The victim also must show that this breach of the property owner’s duty of care directly led to his or her harm. For example, a store that places heavy merchandise on a shelf meant to hold only lightweight items likely has breached its duty of care. The victim also needs to prove that he or she sustained damages as a result of the accident.

A business owner can also be held liable for its employees’ actions in Florida. For instance, if a store clerk carelessly stacked merchandise too high or too precariously, causing it to fall, the company could be vicariously liable for any injuries that resulted. To hold a company vicariously liable, the worker must have been acting within the scope of his or her employment.

If you were injured while on someone else’s property, you may be entitled to recover damages. Past and future medical costs, lost income, and lost earning capacity, as well as pain and suffering, may be available in a premises liability lawsuit. In the tragic event that falling merchandise caused a loss of life, you may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim to receive compensation for burial and funeral costs, medical expenses, and other types of hardship that your loved one and you suffered.

The Law Offices of Robert Dixon consists of seasoned slip and falls who can advise you after you’ve been hurt in Miami or other Florida communities by a property owner’s failure to maintain its premises safely. Our attorneys serve Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. We are here to offer knowledgeable and experienced representation for your claim. If you’ve been hurt in an accident, don’t hesitate to schedule a free consultation. Please call 877.499.4878 or contact us online today.