The Law Offices of David M. Benenfeld P.A. provide experienced legal representation for workers’ compensation and personal injury claims in Florida. If you were injured working or shopping at a Publix grocery store, contact us to find out if you are entitled to a financial recovery.
For most of us, going to the grocery store is a regular occurrence. For those who work as cashiers, clerks, and store managers, going to the grocery store is something you do almost every day. While most shopping trips and days at work go without incident, occasionally something goes wrong.
Like most grocery store chains in Florida, Publix is a relatively safe place most of the time. Employees work hard to keep displays orderly and clean up any spills, and managers do their best to take care of the floors, parking lots, slippery sidewalks, and other conditions that can become dangerous for employees and customers. Unfortunately, accidents happen – when they do, they can lead to lasting consequences for shoppers, employees, and their families, contact our lawyer today.
Possible Accidents and Injuries at Publix in Florida
In fact, the truth is that the list of potential dangers at Publix and other grocery stores is almost endless. From the parking lot, to the checkout line, to areas reserved for employees, even temporary and seemingly minor issues can cause serious injuries. Some of the potential causes of grocery store accidents that can entitle injured customers and employees to seek compensation include:
- Spills in shopping aisles
- Crowded and blocked aisles
- Dangerous product displays
- Slippery sidewalks and parking lots
- Dangerous utensils and food-preparation equipment
- Recently waxed floors
- Damaged or poorly maintained floors
- Surgery
These and other issues can all cause potentially serious injuries that have consequences far beyond a trip to the doctor’s office. Injuries from slips, falls, and other accidents often require extensive ongoing treatment and therapy, and in many cases victims of these accidents are forced to miss substantial time from work. They may also experience pain, suffering, and other emotional consequences that extend to other areas of their lives. Common examples of grocery store accident-related injuries include:
- Back and neck injuries
- Broken bones (including wrist, ankle, hand, and foot)
- Concussions and other head injuries
- Severe contusions
- Severe lacerations (which may require stitches or sutures)
- Torn ligaments and tendons
- Other soft tissue injuries
Workers’ Compensation Claim? What to Do
If you are a Publix employee and were injured on the job, you may be entitled to “no-fault” benefits through the Florida workers’ compensation system. In order to make sure that you can recover maximum workers’ compensation benefits for your injury, you should:
- Report the Accident – Report the accident to the appropriate store manager or personnel. You can fill out the store’s standard injury report form, but at this point you should avoid discussing the accident with anyone, but your attorney.
- See a Doctor – Under Florida law, employers and their workers’ compensation insurance carriers have the right to select the doctors who treat their employees’ job-related injuries. If you see another doctor, your benefits claim could be denied.
- Speak with an Attorney – While workers’ compensation benefits are “no-fault” benefits (meaning that employers generally must pay regardless of the cause of the accident), employers and their insurance companies will still try to minimize employees’ claims as much as possible. To maximize your workers’ compensation benefits from Publix, you will want to have an experienced premises liability and injury attorney on your side.
Personal Injury Claim? What to Do
If you slipped and fell while shopping at Publix, compensation may be available to you as well. By filing a personal injury claim, you can seek to hold Publix responsible for all of your injury-related expenses and losses. To protect your rights, you should:
- Report the Accident – Let someone at the store know that you were injured on Publix’s premises.
- Take Photos – Take photos with your phone.
- See Your Doctor – You should seek medical treatment right away, even if you think you feel fine.
- Avoid Discussing the Accident – If anyone from Publix or an insurance company contacts you, you should avoid speaking with them until you consult an attorney.
- Schedule a Free Consultation – Contact The Law Offices of David M. Benenfeld P.A. to get the help you need to protect your legal rights.
Schedule Your Free Consultation With A South Florida Publix Injury Lawyer
To learn more about the steps you need to take (and mistakes you need to avoid), and to get the help you need to recover maximum compensation for your accident at Publix, contact us for your free, no-obligation consultation. Call 954-677-0155 or tell us what happened online now.
