Dog treats, cat toys and a slip-and-fall, available at Petco?

New York most definitely has its share of pet lovers, people who take their dogs for walks and would buy their pooch or kitty the next best thing at a Petco near them. What happens when a casual trip to the pet store results in injury?

According to the negligence lawsuit that a woman filed out of state, what should happen is the store should compensate her for her pain and medical costs. The slip-and-fall victim accuses Petco of not maintaining safe premises and, therefore, contributing to her preventable fall.

Sure, someone who visits a pet store might expect some surprises. Maybe they will see a tiny puppy whose owner brought her in for her first bed. There is probably a surprising array of gourmet pet snacks to choose from that makes even the lunch buffet at work look bad.

A surprise that shouldn’t exist within a pet store or any place of business is an unmarked wet spot. That can make for a slippery and dangerous situation. In the case of this plaintiff, she says that she slipped on some sort of puddle and suffered head, neck and hip injuries when she fell.

Petco generally does allow pets in its store. Our news source doesn’t disclose what sort of puddle that the plaintiff slipped in. Whether it was water, dog shampoo or even a puddle left by a visiting pet, the store has a responsibility to clean that puddle. Not doing so puts people at risk of getting hurt.

Anyone who believes that an injury is the result of a negligent property owner should first realize that their accident matters. A puddle in a pet store might initially sound insignificant to some, but the pain, cost and even embarrassment that something like a slip-and-fall can cause can be significant. A premises liability lawyer understands that and can help a victim understand their legal rights.

Source: The Pennsylvania Record, “Petco named in slip and fall lawsuit,” Thomas Kallies, March 3, 2014