Walmart currently offers grocery delivery services for a fee with a monthly or annual membership. Their website states this service is available in select cities across 50 states. This form of convenience will continue to grow, especially with Amazon’s plan to compete with Walmart by building their own grocery stores. Amazon already has in-home delivery services for their current products and hopes to utilize the same service for their grocery stores. Walmart is set to begin their own form of in-home delivery later this year in select cities.
Amazon plans to build grocery stores with the business model of prioritizing online ordering with pickup and in-home delivery, will lead to smaller stores with larger storage facilities to accommodate customer demand. Larger storage facilities, results in more products to manage for the employees. This results in heightened attention to detail in order to avoid the risks of accidents or slip and falls. According to reports, slip and falls are the number injury sustained by employees and customers in a grocery store. This inherent risk could be multiplied with more products to manage, which could result in a greater chance for negligence. The onset of the in-home delivery venture would then carry this same risk for employees entering a customer’s home.
Building maintenance of a grocery store follows approved guidelines for ensuring safety to employees and customers. This is a factor that is within the business’s control, but the safety of a customer’s home could be another potential hazard. Employees entering a home to deliver groceries, is entering a home that does not have the same guidelines and procedures for safety in the workplace. These potential hazards could be the result of bad flooring, spilled liquid on a slippery surface or even clutter across the floor. A slip and fall that could occur within the home, would potentially be due to the homeowner’s negligence.
There are already several inherent risks with working in or shopping at grocery stores, but now these businesses will have their employees driving around their local areas delivering products. The increase in risk for their employees could be greater. Automobile accidents are common in our world of mass transit, and even more so in major cities. According to reports, there is an average of 6 million car accidents per year, 3 million people per year are injured in these accidents and 6% of accidents result in fatality. That is a potential 50% chance of being injured if you are involved in an automobile accident.
Commuting to and from work daily can be dangerous enough, but employees will now be exposed to greater risk by having to commute during their working hours. This increases the likelihood of being involved in a car accident. Even the safest drivers could be involved in a car accident with no fault of their own.
Employees subject to these potential scenarios, need to understand their available options should an accident occur. If you or a loved one were injured in an automobile accident or a slip and fall during an in-home delivery, then you may be entitled to fair compensation for the injuries sustained. The same goes for independent contractors.
Automobile accidents or slip and falls may be the result of negligence from another driver, homeowner or fellow employees, depending on the cause of injury. That is why you need the best personal injury lawyer you can find to help resolve your case.
At Wolfson & Leon, our accident and personal injury attorneys have fought for victims injured by negligent people and companies since 1963. We are prepared to represent you for your injuries and damages against any grocery store company in Florida including but not limited to Amazon, Walmart, Publix, or any other grocery store that may be responsible for your injuries.
If you were involved in any type of traumatic accident and have lingering questions, we encourage you to call us at 305-285-1115 for your free consultation. It’s imperative to get the answers you need for the questions you have. We can discuss your accident and figure out what to do next. We serve injured people across Florida with offices in Miami, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers. We are standing ready to assist you with anything you need, so call us now.