Customer is Injured by Push Cart

Case Overview

This case involves a woman who tripped on a push cart at a large furniture store. As she was walking in one of the aisles in the store, her ankle came in contact with the edge of the flatbed cart which had been placed next to an endcap display. The cart was positioned in such a way that it was difficult to see, so that the woman made contact with the cart in full stride. As a direct result, she suffered injuries to her ankle, wrists, and head. It is alleged that the retail store should have taken the necessary steps to remove the push cart from such a busy area to avoid an accident.

Questions to the Retail Store expert and their responses

Do you have knowledge of the safety protocols in place at big box stores to prevent slip/trip and fall accidents?

I am very knowledgeable when it comes to the safety protocols in place at big box stores to prevent slip/trip and fall accidents.

Do you have experience of the preventative measures that should be taken to avoid accidents?

The majority of my career has been spent at big box retail stores, and I have direct experience with preventative measures for the placement and handling of flatbed carts similar to the one in this case.

Do you have knowledge of where carts should be kept/stored while customers are in the store?

I have reviewed similar cases for other big box stores, and I am very confident that this was improper placement for the flatbed cart. The retailer should have removed the cart.

About the expert

This expert has been involved with retail safety consulting for over 20 years, focusing on big box retail stores. He has visited over 250 warehouse and distribution sites to conduct safety reviews, and has traveled to over 270 retail locations to provide expert opinions on litigation cases. He has developed a CLE course, Inside Retail Store Safety, where he has taught attorneys and large corporations proper techniques and protocols in the safety responsibilities. Prior to his position as a consultant, he was the President/CEO of a forklift distribution company, where he developed hands on experience in material handling, hazard logging, incident reporting, and safety training & policies.