While stores such as Home Depot and Lowe’s are not automatically responsible for every slip & fall accident in their store, depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be owed compensation.

If an individual slips, falls, or becomes injured in some other way due to a premises issue (e.g., wet floor, trip hazard, etc.) at a store, it is possible they may have a valid premises liability claim against the business owner. Each case is unique, of course, which is why we strongly encourage you to call 1-800-ATTORNEY for free legal advice concerning your legal options moving forward.

It doesn’t matter whether your slip and fall accident occurred at the local corner store or a home improvement chain like Lowe’s or Home Depot; every company has a legal obligation to keep customers who enter their premises safe from unreasonable harm.

Slip and fall accidents are unique in that they fall under an area of law called premises liability. When businesses invite customers to shop in their stores, the store owner has a legal duty to inspect the premises for hidden defects, and to repair or erect safeguards (if necessary) to make the premises reasonably safe. If they fail in this regard and someone is injured as a result, they may be liable for the victim’s damages.

It’s important to understand that the strength of each case depends on the specific circumstances, and are rarely settled without the help of an attorney. Many victims have a flawed understanding of premises liability law, but if you’ve suffered an injury due to a slip and fall, we’re happy to discuss your case over the phone of by email for absolutely no charge. If we feel as though you have a case we can help with, we’ll offer to handle your claim on a no-win no-fee basis.

Common Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents at a home improvement store can happen for any number of reasons, including:

• Accumulation of water, snow, or ice near the entrance of the store.
• Spills (wet or dry) that are not cleaned up in a reasonable time frame.
• Trip hazards left in the walkway.
• Poor store lighting.
• Overhead or display items that fall, have sharp corners, or otherwise cause injury.
• Defects (cracks, holes, trip hazards) in the parking lot.
• And much more.

Liability of the Store

Under premises liability law, a store can be held legally responsibility for a victim’s damages after a slip and fall if employees knew (or should have known) of an unsafe condition, had time to correct it, but failed to do so.

A store can attempt to deflect liability by claiming the hazard was clearly obvious and should have been noticed by the customer. This tactic is often used in an attempt to discourage the victim from pursuing a claim, but you must remember to take anything they tell you with a grain of salt. They are actively working against your best interests, and the only person you should be taking advice from is your attorney.

Previous Slip and Fall Cases against Home Depot & Lowe’s

In one case, a woman sued after slipping on an unknown substance inside a Home Depot. The customer asked that the store produce video surveillance from that day, but they claimed the relevant part of the video had been deleted. In spite of the lack of physical evidence, the court ultimately awarded the victim $44,383.61 for her injuries.

In another case, a customer injured her knee after her shopping cart hit a manhole cover that was hidden by water and tipped over. Home Depot attempted to blame the incident on the customer by claiming the danger was easy to see and obvious. The jury disagreed, and placed 95 percent of the fault on Home Depot. The jury assessed the victim’s total damages at $1,000,000, and ordered the company to pay $950,000 for the customer’s injuries.

One customer at Lowe’s was hit from behind by a forklift while he was standing in the checkout line. The incident caused the customer a variety of orthopedic injuries, and as a result, he was awarded $600,000.

If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident at Lowe’s or Home Depot, it’s important to speak with a lawyer who is experienced in premises liability law. At 1-800-ATTORNEY, not only are consultations free, we can handle your claim for no out-of-pocket cost to you.