YOU AND THE LAW® GROCERY STORE TO BLAME FOR SLIP-AND-FALL Have you ever slipped on a grape in a grocery store or an icy sidewalk? Slips and falls are more common than you might think - almost one third of hospital emergency room visits in Canada are due to slips and falls. And they can have serious consequences. to full-time work at her old job after the accident. Ultimately, her long-time employer had to let her go. The court concluded that her cognitive and other problems post-accident meant she had become competitively unemployable going forward. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries if the accident was due to someone's negligence - such as the grocery store where you fell. The court accepted medical evidence that Joan had suffered a mild traumatic brain injury or concussion in the grocery store slip-and-fall. There was no suggestion that she was exaggerating her continuing difficulties, which were unlikely to improve. The court concluded Joan was permanently disabled by her fall injuries. Take this recent case. Joan, 48, was shopping at a large grocery store in North Vancouver one morning when she unsuspectingly stepped into a large pool of liquid laundry detergent. She started sliding toward the end cap of an aisle, struck the end cap with her forehead, then fell down backwards. The back of her head hit the In cases like this, the grocery store must have a reasonable system of inspection and maintenance in place, and it has to show that it was being followed. Otherwise, it will be at fault for not taking reasonable care for the safety of customers in its store. Here, the grocery store had such a system. But it didn't demonstrate that system was actually being carried out. So the grocery store was negligent and responsible for Joan's injuries. floor. When she regained consciousness, she was attended to by members of the local fire department, then placed on a stretcher and taken to hospital by ambulance. She reported blurry vision and significant pain from the accident. In the following days, she had headaches, nausea and dizziness, and she vomited frequently. Joan was awarded over $750,000 for loss of life By the time of the court hearing some six years later, Joan still suffered from an array of symptoms, all stemming from the accident. These included persistent ongoing headaches, dizziness, imbalance, nausea, insomnia and difficulties with concentration and memory. Most significantly, her personality changed substantially. She became an unhappy and impatient person, frustrated at her inability to function as before. enjoyment, loss of past income, future income earning capacity and more. If you're hurt in a slip and fall accident, see your lawyer promptly to safeguard your rights. This column provides information only and must not be relied on for legal advice. Please call Marvin Geekie at 250-861-5678 (for your free, no obligation, initial consultation) Her work performance at her old job suffered too. Because she couldn't focus and finish tasks, she couldn't handle the same bookkeeping and administrative responsibilities as before. She was never fit to return Written by Janice and George Mucalov, LL.B.s with contribution by Marvin Geekie. "You and the Law" is a registered trademark. O Janice and George Mucalov. MARVIN GEEKIE DAVID YEREMA SalloumWatts Persenal injury Law sw 200 - 1455 Ellis Street Kelowna, BC, V1Y 2A3 Ph: (250) 861-5678 ext.111 mgeekie@swylaw.com, www.salloumwatts.com YOU AND THE LAW® GROCERY STORE TO BLAME FOR SLIP-AND-FALL Have you ever slipped on a grape in a grocery store or an icy sidewalk? Slips and falls are more common than you might think - almost one third of hospital emergency room visits in Canada are due to slips and falls. And they can have serious consequences. to full-time work at her old job after the accident. Ultimately, her long-time employer had to let her go. The court concluded that her cognitive and other problems post-accident meant she had become competitively unemployable going forward. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries if the accident was due to someone's negligence - such as the grocery store where you fell. The court accepted medical evidence that Joan had suffered a mild traumatic brain injury or concussion in the grocery store slip-and-fall. There was no suggestion that she was exaggerating her continuing difficulties, which were unlikely to improve. The court concluded Joan was permanently disabled by her fall injuries. Take this recent case. Joan, 48, was shopping at a large grocery store in North Vancouver one morning when she unsuspectingly stepped into a large pool of liquid laundry detergent. She started sliding toward the end cap of an aisle, struck the end cap with her forehead, then fell down backwards. The back of her head hit the In cases like this, the grocery store must have a reasonable system of inspection and maintenance in place, and it has to show that it was being followed. Otherwise, it will be at fault for not taking reasonable care for the safety of customers in its store. Here, the grocery store had such a system. But it didn't demonstrate that system was actually being carried out. So the grocery store was negligent and responsible for Joan's injuries. floor. When she regained consciousness, she was attended to by members of the local fire department, then placed on a stretcher and taken to hospital by ambulance. She reported blurry vision and significant pain from the accident. In the following days, she had headaches, nausea and dizziness, and she vomited frequently. Joan was awarded over $750,000 for loss of life By the time of the court hearing some six years later, Joan still suffered from an array of symptoms, all stemming from the accident. These included persistent ongoing headaches, dizziness, imbalance, nausea, insomnia and difficulties with concentration and memory. Most significantly, her personality changed substantially. She became an unhappy and impatient person, frustrated at her inability to function as before. enjoyment, loss of past income, future income earning capacity and more. If you're hurt in a slip and fall accident, see your lawyer promptly to safeguard your rights. This column provides information only and must not be relied on for legal advice. Please call Marvin Geekie at 250-861-5678 (for your free, no obligation, initial consultation) Her work performance at her old job suffered too. Because she couldn't focus and finish tasks, she couldn't handle the same bookkeeping and administrative responsibilities as before. She was never fit to return Written by Janice and George Mucalov, LL.B.s with contribution by Marvin Geekie. "You and the Law" is a registered trademark. O Janice and George Mucalov. MARVIN GEEKIE DAVID YEREMA SalloumWatts Persenal injury Law sw 200 - 1455 Ellis Street Kelowna, BC, V1Y 2A3 Ph: (250) 861-5678 ext.111 mgeekie@swylaw.com, www.salloumwatts.com