Trip and Falls Caused by Temporary Hazards in Stores and Buildings

Not all trip and fall accidents are caused by broken stairs, cracked sidewalks, or permanent structural defects. In many New York premises liability cases, injuries result from temporary hazards—conditions that are movable, recently created, or easily correctable, yet left in place long enough to cause serious harm. Inside stores, apartment buildings, offices, and commercial spaces, these hazards often include electrical cords, misplaced merchandise, unsecured floor mats, displays and other obstacles that interfere with safe walking paths.

Although property owners and businesses sometimes downplay these dangers as momentary or unavoidable, New York law still requires them to maintain reasonably safe premises. When a temporary condition creates a foreseeable risk and is not addressed properly, the owner or occupier may be held liable for resulting injuries. If you have been hurt in a trip and fall on unsafe premises in Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx or Manhattan, contact Leandros A. Vrionedes, P.C., to speak with a skilled and experienced New York City trip and fall injury attorney.

Why Temporary Hazards Are a Common Source of Trip and Fall Injuries

Temporary hazards arise frequently because retail and commercial environments are constantly changing. Merchandise is restocked, displays are rearranged, floors are cleaned, equipment is moved, and maintenance work is performed, often during business hours. These routine activities can introduce obstacles into walkways, especially in high-traffic areas where customers, tenants, or visitors are not expecting to encounter hazards.

Unlike permanent defects, temporary hazards are often created by the property owner or its employees. This distinction is important under New York law because when a defendant creates a dangerous condition, the injured person does not need to prove that the owner had advance notice of it. The focus instead shifts to whether reasonable care was exercised to prevent injury.

Electrical Cords and Cables in Walkways

Loose electrical cords and cables are a frequent cause of trip and fall accidents in stores, offices, and lobbies. These cords may power temporary displays, point-of-sale systems, cleaning equipment, or construction tools. When cords are stretched across walking paths without proper coverings or warnings, they create a serious tripping risk.

Property owners and managers are expected to route cords safely, secure them to the floor, or block off areas where cords are present. Leaving cords exposed, particularly in dim lighting or crowded spaces, can be evidence of negligence. In many cases, injuries occur because the cord blended into the floor surface or was obscured by foot traffic, making it difficult to detect in time to avoid a fall.

Merchandise and Stock Left in Aisles

Retail environments are especially prone to trip hazards caused by merchandise. Boxes, carts, pallets, and restocking materials are often left in aisles during deliveries or shelf replenishment. While stocking is a necessary activity, stores must still ensure that customer pathways remain clear and safe.

Trip and fall claims frequently arise when merchandise is temporarily placed in walkways without cones, barriers, or alternate routes. Narrow aisles, cluttered floor space, and rushed restocking during peak hours all increase the risk of injury. Courts evaluating these cases often look at whether the store could have reasonably anticipated that customers would encounter the obstacle and whether safer alternatives were available.

Floor Mats That Curl, Shift, or Bunch Up

Floor mats are intended to improve safety, but when improperly maintained, they can become dangerous tripping hazards. Mats that are curled at the edges, folded, bunched up, or not secured to the floor can easily catch a person’s foot. This is especially common near store entrances, elevators, and building lobbies.

In New York trip and fall cases involving mats, liability often turns on whether the mat was placed correctly and inspected regularly. Evidence showing that a mat had shifted over time, was too thick, or lacked a non-slip backing can support a claim that the property owner failed to maintain safe conditions. Mats placed over uneven surfaces or transitions between flooring materials are particularly hazardous.

Movable Obstacles and Maintenance Equipment

Temporary obstacles such as cleaning carts, ladders, trash bins, and maintenance tools are another frequent source of trip and fall injuries. These items are often left unattended during cleaning or repair work, sometimes in areas open to the public.

Property owners have a duty to either remove these obstacles promptly or clearly restrict access to the affected area. Leaving equipment in walkways without supervision or warnings can expose visitors to unnecessary risk. In many cases, injuries occur because the obstacle was placed just outside a person’s field of vision or around a corner where it could not be seen in time.

Proving Negligence in Temporary Hazard Cases

To succeed in a trip and fall claim involving a temporary hazard, the injured person must typically show that the property owner failed to act reasonably under the circumstances. This may involve demonstrating that the hazard was created by the owner or its employees, or that it existed long enough that it should have been discovered and corrected.

Key evidence in these cases often includes:

• Surveillance footage showing when and how the hazard was placed
• Incident reports or maintenance records
• Employee testimony regarding cleaning, stocking, or repair practices
• Photographs of the hazard and surrounding area
• Store policies addressing aisle clearance and safety procedures

Because temporary hazards can be removed quickly after an accident, preserving evidence early is often critical.

Comparative Fault and Defense Arguments

Defendants frequently argue that a temporary hazard was open and obvious and therefore easily avoidable, or that the injured person should have been more closely watching where they were walking. While New York allows comparative negligence arguments to lessen the amount of damages, these arguments do not excuse unsafe premises conditions. Courts consider whether the hazard was reasonably foreseeable and whether the owner took appropriate steps to prevent harm, even if the condition was visible.

Crowded environments, distractions inherent to retail settings, and the expectation that walkways will be kept clear all factor into how these cases are evaluated.

How Leandros A. Vrionedes, P.C. Can Help

Trip and fall accidents caused by temporary hazards are often aggressively defended, despite resulting in serious injuries. These cases require careful investigation to uncover how the hazard was created, who was responsible, and whether proper safety procedures were followed.

At Leandros A. Vrionedes, P.C., we represent individuals injured due to unsafe conditions in stores, apartment buildings, and commercial properties throughout New York City. If you were hurt after tripping over a cord, merchandise, floor mat, or other temporary obstacle, you may have a valid premises liability claim. Contact Leandros A. Vrionedes, P.C., for a free consultation to discuss your case and learn how we can help protect your rights.