black fridayWhat If I Am Injured On Black Friday?

Over the last 20 years or so, Black Friday, when stores offer big deals the day after Thanksgiving in order to boost Christmas sales, has gone from a fun event to one which is dangerous and potentially even fatal.

You’ve seen the videos; you’ve probably read the stories. People rush in the stores as soon as they open, sometimes knocking each other down, sometimes fighting in the aisles over scarce items.

In fact the sheer volume of people and the level of shopping fever virtually guarantees problems. Let’s look at a few potential pitfalls for Black Friday shoppers.

If you have been injured on Black Friday contact me today. The call is free and I will be happy to take a look at the situation. I am a Los Angeles Personal Injury Lawyer who has recovered millions for my clients.

Stores often create dangerous situations

At first glance some would blame the frenzy of customers but there are plenty of occasions where a retail store is at least partially to blame for creating the environment where an injury occurs. Negligence often plays a role.

Types of injuries on Black Friday

  • Parking lot injuries. With the level of excitement Black Friday produces, pedestrians are at risk. Parking lots must be properly maintained to avoid injury. Potholes, poor lighting, and other neglected parking lots cause injuries all the time.
  • Overcrowding injuries. There are regulations controlling how many people can cram into a business at any one time. But secondly when you have a mass of people lining up and waiting for the doors to open so they can get in a bit of competitive shopping, all sorts of bad things can happen. People have been trampled, bones have been broken and many have suffered lesser injuries as well. It is reasonable to expect a safe shopping experience when you are invited in.
  • Slip and Fall Injuries: Inadequately staffed businesses or employees who leave a spill on the ground can cause slip and fall injuries which can result in serious injury.
  • Other injuries: On Black Friday people are injured by shopping carts, hit and runs, suffer bodily injuries, are injured by boxes of retail goods tipping over on them, or by tripping on toys or flatscreen TVs.

Los Angeles Retail Stores Participating in Black Friday

There are many retails stores in Los Angeles participating in Black Frday deals from mom and pop shops to big box stores. While we hope that nobody is injured while picking out gifts for their loved ones, injuries will occur. Some of the best shopping will take place at shopping malls.

Shopping malls in and around Los Angeles include the Citadel Outlets which offers A|X Armani Exchange, Hugo, Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Kenneth Cole, Coach, Nike, Reebok, NYJD and many more shops. The Commons at Calabasas is home to various stores such as Barnes & Noble, Williams Sonoma and Gymboree. Others may find themselves sopping at the Beverly Center, The Grove, Melrose Avenue, Montana Avenue, Abbot Kinney Boulevard, or Rodeo Drive.

However.. Most of the frenzy will take place at retail outlets such as Walmart, Target, Barnes & Nobles, Kohl’s, Inglewoods, Vons, Dick’s, REI, Carter’s, and Sears.

Whether you’re injured a Starbucks, Costco, or at a hotel while visiting friends and family please feel free to contact me today.

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Premises liability accidents

Other cities where Black Friday injuries occur

While much of this article focuses on Los Angeles, I cover most of Southern California. Here are SOME of the cities where I represent clients:

Here is a video a Los Angeles Walmart on a Thanksgiving night and how chaotic the floors can get:

On November 19, 2015   /   Misc Injuries