Even in this age of online shopping, people in Houston still have to visit the traditional brick-and-mortar stores from time to time. They may not think about it, but like any other activity in life, going to the store or shopping mall is risky in that people can get hurt. In particular, there a lot of ways a shopper can slip and fall while visiting a Texas store or shopping mall.

For instance, although Houston does not see a lot of snow and ice, it often experiences heavy rains. People coming in to the store from the rain will make the entrances wet and slippery. Moreover, people may spill their drinks or other liquid while shopping. At times, even the store’s own staff may leave a floor wet after mopping up a mess or just trying to clean the floor.

Falls also happen because of other defects in the flooring. For instance, a torn carpet or tile can cause a slip. In other cases, the walkways of a store are partially obstructed by an object that is hard to see, making it quite easy for a customer to trip over the object and fall.

Sometimes, a fall happens because of a design flaw in the building itself. For instance, customers will be more prone to trip in areas that have inadequate lighting. Likewise, floors sometimes are naturally, but unexpectedly, uneven.

Finally, in stores with multiple stories, escalators can also cause slips and falls, particularly if they are not working properly. Slip-and-fall accidents unfortunately are not always minor affairs. Shoppers can wind up with broken bones, serious muscle strains and other injuries. The most serious slip-and-fall cases can leave a victim permanently disabled and in need of financial support for the rest of his or her life. If the business was negligent, it should help cover these losses.