Liquor stores are a very popular stop for people across Michigan looking to pick up alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, snacks, buy lottery tickets and purchase other convenience items. Every city and town in Michigan seem to have a local liquor store or party store. Most are safe, friendly places that offer quick service. However, some liquor stores are not maintained, with pothole filled parking lots and sidewalks outside the store, spills inside the store, and repairs that need to be made but aren’t.

Store owners, managers and employees are obligated to maintain reasonably safe store environment. When safety rules are ignored and you get hurt, the consequences can be life-changing. Medical bills pile up. Lost wages leave you stressed. Pain and suffering make daily life harder. That’s where we come in.

At the Lee Steinberg Law Firm, we have fought – and won – against liquor stores for more than 50 years. We know their tactics, we know their defenses, and we know how to get results for injured Michiganders.

About Michigan Liquor Stores

There are over 2,000 liquor stores in Michigan. Of these, more than 75% are single-owner operated stores while less than 25% are owned by a larger chain. The term liquor store is not original to Michigan, but the term “party store” is a regional, colloquial way to refer to liquor stores in Michigan. Most liquor stores are less than 2,500 sq ft and leave little room for aisles, checkout, cooler and shelving.

What Should I Do If I Was Injured at Liquor Store?

If you are injured at a liquor store, it is essential to report the incident to a store employee and complete an incident report. Take photographs of the area that caused your injury. For example, if water is leaking in an aisleway, take pictures of the water if possible. The incident report helps establish a record. If there are any witnesses, try to obtain their contact information. An experienced Michigan slip and fall lawyer will contact the witness to help substantiate your case.

Additionally, try to obtain the names of the store employees who assisted you or attempt to clean up the scene after the fall. Many liquor store employees are family members or friends of the owner and don’t want to tell you information about themselves. Do not allow them to do this. Get their full names and contact information. It’s vital to get the person’s information while you still can, in case you need it later.

If you require medical treatment, don’t hesitate to visit a hospital or urgent care facility. You don’t want to make a bad problem worse by refusing to get medical help. An X-ray and physical examination can help rule out more serious injuries, such as a broken bone.

What Are Common Reasons for Injuries at Liquor Stores?

Even liquor store and party store employees are required to receive training on maintaining a safe store environment. They have protocols in place to clean up spills, repair defective shelves, or place signs in a designated location. But sometimes this fails to happen. Some of the more common reasons for injuries at a Michigan liquor store include:

Trips and falls over folded or slippery mats
Leaking drink coolers that cause a slippery floor
Ice and snow in the parking lot or sidewalk outside the store
Falling merchandise that was not properly stacked
Getting hit by an employee using a cart
Debris or garbage left on the floor that cause a tripping hazard

What Are Common Injuries in a Liquor Store?

There are common injuries that occur in small retail stores, like a liquor store. In our experience, some of the more common injuries that occur in the stores include:

Head injuries and gashes
Concussion and closed head injury
Broken bones
Back and neck injuries
Facial injuries
Torn ligaments and tendons

The personal injury lawyers at the Lee Steinberg Law Firm will get your medical records and provide them to the insurance company to show the severity of your injuries.

What is an Example of a Liquor Store Case?

Our law firm recently settled a trip-and-fall incident that occurred in the entranceway of a liquor store. The floor inside the store was missing tile and need of repair. Instead of blocking off the area, placing a mat on top of the missing tiles, or replacing the tiles, an employee decided to throw down cardboard boxes on top of the floor near the doorway. The boxes were not secured to the floor. Our client fell while attempting to enter the store, sustaining a bad leg injury.

We fought back and secured a significant recovery for her losses.

How Do I Get the Surveillance Video of My Accident?

Liquor stores do not like to release video of the accident. Videos are important because they (1) prove the incident occurred and (2) record the defective condition that caused the injuries. Usually, the store will not provide video footage until ordered to do so by the court or judge, once a lawsuit is filed.

However, it is important to send a preservation letter to the store as quickly as possible after the incident. Many stores will try to erase video that is damaging to their case. A knowledgeable Michigan liquor store injury lawyer will write, mail, and email a preservation letter to the store, requesting that they preserve all video footage of the incident.

If the store fails to do this, a judge can impose an adverse jury instruction as a sanction for the spoliation of the evidence. The jury instruction usually tells the jury that they can infer the lost video was harmful to the liquor store’s case. This is very powerful evidence.

How Much Time Do I Have to File a Lawsuit Against a Liquor Store?

Under Michigan law, an injured person usually has three (3) years from the date of the incident to file a lawsuit against party store and any other proper parties. This is referred to as a statute of limitations.

The timeline is longer for children. Minors typically have until their 19th birthday to file a lawsuit. However, as time passes, memories fade and witnesses disappear. It is important to contact a Michigan liquor store injury lawyer after an incident as quickly as possible to preserve evidence and win your case.

Should I Give a Recorded Statement to a Liquor Store Representative?

No, absolutely not. Do not give any recorded statements to a liquor store representative without first contacting a good Michigan slip and fall injury lawyer. The representative usually works for a third-party company hired by the party store. Their job is to minimize the damage claim for their client. The representative may try to get you to say things that are not true and only hurt your case.

Contact a Michigan Liquor Store Injury Lawyer

The Lee Steinberg Law Firm has recovered tens of millions of dollars for victims injured in retail stores. Recently, our firm settled a case for almost $6,000,000 on behalf of a victim of a spill at a large retail establishment. Call our liquor store injury lawyers today to get your questions answered and your case started.

The consultation is always free, and we never charge any legal fees until we win your case. Contact us at 1-800-LEE-FREE or 1-866-511-0594 for a free consultation.

Michigan Liquor Store Injury Lawyers