On behalf of Kammholz Law PLLC posted in Premises Liability on Wednesday, November 20, 2013.
Next week is already Thanksgiving and families around Rochester are getting ready to enjoy the holiday with family and friends. Many of them are also getting ready for a Friday spent going from store to store, searching for deals. Black Friday has increasingly become an important part of many people’s holiday traditions, but it has also become a source of injuries and premises liability claims. In preparation for this shopping day, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is pushing retailers to create plans that will minimize injuries to employees and, by extension, shoppers. Though an injured employee often cannot sue his or her employer, many of the situations that could injure employees can also injure shoppers. There are large crowds, people desperate to get deals and a host of other dangers that can cause serious injury. There has even been a death on Black Friday: an employee was crushed by shoppers trying to get in the door. OSHA has suggested that retailers create an extensive crowd-management plan to implement on Black Friday. They recommend that there also be procedures in place in case an emergency does happen. Moreover, it may be beneficial to have police or trained security officers at the store. Although most people in Rochester will be able to go to their favorite stores this Black Friday and emerge with nothing but great deals, there is always the risk that something bad could happen. Fortunately, when someone is injured, he or she can look to a personal injury lawyer to build a case of premises liability against the store. Source: KCSG Television, “US Labor Department Reminds Retail Stores to take Precautions on Black Friday,” Nov. 18, 2013