Were you hurt at a retail store?

If you were hurt at a big box store, grocery store, or other retailer, whether from a fall, a falling item, a security incident, or something else, you are in the right place.

Are you in an emergency right now?
Check yourself for injuries.
Call 911 if you are seriously hurt.
Ask store staff for help and to create an incident report.
Get medical care even if you feel fine.
This page is for after you are safe.

This page covers retail store injury claims and what to do right now. We are the injured person's advocate. We connect you with a lawyer who handles cases like yours, so you get the full settlement your recovery deserves. Always free. Talk to an advocate. We usually reply within minutes, at most one business day.

Why timing matters so much in store cases

Two pieces of evidence usually decide retail injury cases: the store's own incident report and its security camera footage. Both are created and controlled by the store, not by you, and both can disappear if you wait too long.

Warning: don't wait! The footage window is a trap. Most large retailers require an incident report when a customer is hurt, and it often includes details that matter later. Security camera footage is even more time-sensitive: many stores only keep it for 30 to 90 days, so waiting means the proof of what happened gets erased. And important: your filing deadline runs on a separate clock set by your state, so ask an advocate about that too.

Stores and their insurers also frequently argue that a hazard was "open and obvious." Your own photos and witness information matter just as much as the store's records.

What real retail store cases have paid

These are publicly reported jury verdicts. They are examples only, not a promise of what any case is worth. Most cases settle for far less, and outcomes depend heavily on the specific facts.

$41.95 million jury verdict, with Walmart held 50% responsible for $30 million of the total: a case involving a couple attacked by a man wielding a baseball bat at a Walmart store in San Jacinto, California.
$6.49 million jury verdict: awarded in a Walmart case involving spinal injuries that required cervical and lumbar fusion surgeries.
$2.1 million jury verdict: a Pennsylvania jury awarded this amount to a woman who slipped on spilled soda at a Target store and suffered a complete hamstring rupture requiring surgery.
$1.73 million jury verdict: a California jury awarded this amount after a woman tripped over a ladder an employee left in an aisle at a Target store, fracturing her hip.
$470,000 jury verdict: a Missouri jury awarded this amount after a store display case fell on a shopper, causing permanent nerve injury (Missouri Lawyers Media).

We are not a law firm and this is not legal advice. These figures show that outcomes vary widely based on the injury, the evidence available, and how clearly the store's own conduct can be shown.

When it goes wrong: a true story

In the Missouri display case, a shopper was hurt when a display fell and caused permanent nerve injury. The jury's $470,000 award came after the case was tried and evidence about the store's setup and maintenance of the display was presented in court (Missouri Lawyers Media).

Getting hurt in a store you visit all the time can feel almost embarrassing, like it was somehow your fault. It usually is not. Take your own photos before the hazard is cleaned up, and talk to an advocate while the evidence still exists.

Protect your case

Report the incident to a store manager and ask that an incident report be created. Get a copy or the report number.
Ask, in writing if possible, that the store preserve security camera footage before it is recorded over.
Take your own photos of exactly what caused the injury before it is cleaned up or fixed.
Get names and contact information for any witnesses, including other customers.
Keep the receipt or any record showing you were at the store that day.
Talk to an advocate at WeHelpInjured. It is free.

Never do these

Never sign anything from the store's insurance company before you talk to an advocate.
Never give a recorded statement to an insurance company, even your own. Talk to your advocate first.
Never wait to ask the store to preserve camera footage. It may be recorded over within weeks.
Never assume a hazard was your fault because it looked obvious after the fact.

What we can help with

We help you understand what happened and what records and footage matter most. We explain how to request that the store preserve evidence before it disappears, and we connect you with a lawyer who handles cases like yours. All of it is free to you.

Talk to an advocate. Start the form or open the chat.

Sources

Missouri Lawyers Media, falling display verdict: https://molawyersmedia.com/2026/01/20/walmart-premises-liability-falling-display-verdict/
Deadlines and evidence-preservation rules vary by state. See /states/ for details.