Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
During Black Friday, huge holiday sales start and while it can be a great way to take care of your gift list, huge crowds at stores can and do cause injuries. Almost every year, people are injured or killed by crowds and violence in stores. In addition, shoppers may be at a heightened risk of parking lot accidents, slip and fall and trip and fall accidents, fraud, and theft due to the crowds at stores at this time of year.
Preventing Store Injuries in Miami
If you want to take part in holiday sales safely and plan to shop on Black Friday, you may want to follow these precautions:
- Plan before you buy: Investigative journalists have found some stores increase prices before the Thanksgiving weekend so they can then slash them dramatically the Friday after the holiday. While this can make it seem like shoppers are getting a great bargain, in fact the “deals” are often not significantly better than during other sales. Do your research before you shop and create a plan for what you want to buy (and where).
- Shop when stores are less crowded: Many stores offer week-long bargains, so you don’t necessarily need to shop on the busiest day of the year to get a discount. Check the fine print of store flyers and ads to decide when you want to shop.
- Consider curbside pickup: Many stores still offer curbside pickup, which can mean you don’t have to brave huge crowds to pick up the items you want.
- Check your bank accounts regularly at this time of year: Unfortunately, fraud and theft are prevalent during Black Friday sales. Be careful when shopping online and person, only shopping at stores and websites you trust. Enable alerts on your bank accounts and credit cards so you’ll know if someone tries to make a fraudulent transaction and review your statements carefully for any unfamiliar transactions.
- Use caution if you’re heading into holiday shopping crowds: Consider going with someone else and follow all local COVID recommendations. Stay calm and try to stay near areas where you can quickly get out of the way if the crowd surges.
Store Workplace Injuries in Miami
Customers are not the only ones who are injured in Black Friday holiday sales. Unfortunately, it is often the retail store employees who bear the brunt of customer frustration. Retail workers are often overworked and sometimes physically assaulted during the holiday rush.
The situation is made worse by the fact that stores often hire temporary or seasonal workers at this time of year. These workers may not have the training or experience to deal with large crowds, they may not be as familiar with stores, or may not have the same protections as longer-term employees.
Have You Been Injured in a Miami Store?
Since retailers expect to have huge crowds during Black Friday, they may be held liable if customers or employees are injured. There are many things stores can do to minimize the risks for workers and shoppers. They can limit the number of shoppers, hire experienced security guards, and create processes to get customers in and out the store in an orderly way. Some stores fail to do this and even structure their sales to encourage an enormous one-day rush, putting visitors and workers in danger.
If you are injured at a Black Friday sale, you may have a claim if the store was negligent. It is often difficult, however, to determine whether negligence played a role in your injuries. One way to determine whether you have a claim is to call Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) to schedule a free, no obligation consultation with a Miami store injury claims attorney.