Shopper Suffers Multiple Injuries from Falling Boxes

Case Overview

This case involves a patron who sustained a number of serious injuries when multiple boxes of lawn furniture fell on his head while shopping at a big box warehouse-style retailer. At the time of the incident, the man was shopping for a new grill, and was perusing a number of different models that had been placed on the ground floor of an aisle. At some point, the Plaintiff was attempting to load a box containing a grill into his cart when, suddenly and without warning, a number of boxes located on a higher shelf fell on top of him. The Plaintiff suffered a number of permanent injuries as a result of the accident, and will require a lifetime of ongoing care. It was alleged that the boxes on the higher shelf were not stacked properly, posing a danger to shoppers.

Questions to the Slip And Fall expert and their responses

Do you have familiarity with the subject matter described above?

My own experience with pallet type racks is extensive and I have conducted webinars and seminars for the retail industry addressing related safety issues.

Have you ever published or lectured on this subject / issue?

I have conducted webinars and seminars for the retail industry addressing related safety issues.

What could have been done differently to avoid the accident in question?

This incident likely could have been avoided with the use of bracing, strapping or edge-of-self stops, all of which are commonly used to prevent a sloping display presentation from turning into the scene of an accident.

About the expert

This expert has been in the retail and retail planning industry for over 40 years. He received his Bachelor of Science in Architectural Technology from the New York Institute of Technology prior to earning a Bachelor of Architecture from City University of New York - City College. Awarded the honor of Fellow of the Institute of Store Planners, his articles on store design have been featured in Display Design Ideas and New York Magazine and he has been an invited speaker at trade shows sponsored by the likes of the National Association of Store Fixture Manufacturers, the National Retailers Federated Association, and the Store Planning and Equipment Counsel. He has held executive and management positions as a store planner with multiple retail companies, and he is currently the Principal of his own retail store planning consulting firm that specializes in store layout, design, and safety with a client base that includes Macy's, Walmart, Kmart, Sears, Stop and Shop, and many more.