to think it's the supermarket's fault I fell

[tactum]

In a small branch of a major supermarket yesterday in perfectly normal flip flops. Walked past the fresh flowers which were in water and promptly slipped on some dropped water and fell REALLY hard on the floor. Instinctively put my hand out to break my fall and landed on my wrist. I am going to minor injuries tomorrow but am fairly certain it is broken - broke my scaphoid on the same hand last year and this feels very similar in terms of pain/tenderness.

The manager filled in a form and suggested I get it checked. He did point out that I was wearing flip flops which probably wasnt wise - WTAF???? I also heard one member of staff tell another 'we should probably put a mat in front of those flowers now'.

I am definitely not a 'where there's a blame there's a claim' type person but I am mighty pissed off that in all probability I will be unable to drive for 6 weeks - logistical nightmare to say the least - will be in plaster, will be in pain and will be inplaster for our 2 week spanish holiday through no fault of my own.

AIBU and WWYD???? (I know I should have gone to minor injuries today but I was in a state of denial which is now giving way to realism!)

[KingJoffreysRestingCuntface]

He's covering his own arse. Deflecting blame. And it worked, you're doubting yourself.

All shoes are slippy around water and there really should've been a mat or a wet floor sign. Take two seconds to put them there.

[luckylucky24]

I would complain to head office and see what they say.

[FanaticalFox]

Definitely make a claim you're in for some good cash there (disclaimer i only believe in this type of claim if it genuinely wasnt the person's fault and you were genuinely hurt and you will genuinely be inconvenienced)

[honeyroar]

I would start by actually finding out what you've done to your wrist from a health care professional and an X-ray. Then go from there. You don't actually know how long you're going to be off work or not driving yet, so cross that bridge when you get to it rather than stressing now. I believe accidents happen and wouldn't claim personally.

[M00nUnit]

Poor you! Whatever shoes you're wearing, slippery wet floors are still slippery. Unless you're wearing wellies which is hardly something supermarkets should expect their customers to do. Disgraceful that the manager tried to blame their negligence on you, especially as you were in pain.

[chanel19]

They should have made the area safe. It doesn't matter if you'd chosen to wear flippers for your shopping trip!
I hope your wrist heals quickly, and that you get some compensation!

[PrincessLeia80]

I fell a while ago wearing flip flops and when the ambulance came they said that in a very high percentage of call outs to falls/slips by women flip flops are involved. However the supermarket should have had a wet floor sign out.

[putdownyourphone]

Yes definitely make a claim if you've done serious damage.

[BeyondThePage]

Do people really not take responsibility for their own actions,

flip-flops are going to give you less secure footing,
you know flowers are kept in water,
take care round flowers in a supermarket if in unsafe footwear.

[bridgetreilly]

Pretty sure they are legally supposed to have a sign out, so you'll probably get compensation.

HOWEVER, I think yabu. Watch where you're walking, especially if you're in non-stable shoes. Water around a flower display isn't exactly an unexpected hazard.

[BewareOfDragons]

I've yet to find a pair of shoes, flip flops or otherwise, that don't slip on wet tile floors.

The store manager was trying to cover his ass by blaming you. Don't accept it and make a claim if it's broken

And complain to higher ups at the store no matter what. That is dangerous.

[IntoTheBeyond]

Pretty sure they are legally supposed to have a sign out, so you'll probably get compensation.

From a purist perspective, I'm sure you're right.

But what if, 30 seconds before you walked past, a customer took some flowers out of the bucket, dripping water as they went?

Is it truly reasonable to expect the supermarket to have noticed, and put signs out?

I'm not sure.

I hope you feel better soon, OP

[Justmadeperfectflapjacks]

Unless they have safety shoes must be worn at all times signs in this store then he is an arse.
Take action!!

[IntoTheBeyond]

Oh, but to add... I'd be kicking off with their head office about the managers attitude.

DD split her chin open at a swimming pool once. Totally her fault but clearly needed medical attention. The pool was only interested in me signing their accident form and informing me that she shouldn't have been doing what she was doing. Complete arse covering, which made me very cross.

[Supersoaryflappypigeon]

I'm not big on claim culture but if I were you I'd be getting in touch with a solicitor. Hope you recover soon

[CadnoDrwg]

Sorry but you were wearing flip flops so it's mostly your fault as flower buckets are known for having water in them so the expectation of some dropping on the floor as people remove flowers is reasonable.

This is why coffee cups have to have Warning Contents Hot because unless someone states the bloody obvious in written format someone else will try and shift blame for their own lack of care and attention.

I am sorry you've hurt yourself and hope you recover soon but YABU unreasonable to blame the supermarket.

[ChildishGambino]

I actually don't think you're at fault here, at all. If it's broken I'd suggest making a claim. If they mop the floor they have to put out wet floor signs and this is no different imo.

[londonrach]

I know someone who crashed a car driving with flipflops. Flipflop got caught under pedal. If i remember rightly he was in trouble for not wearing correct footwear. They swimming pool, beach wear only.

[eggsandwich]

My friends mum slipped on a wet floor in a large well known supermarket, she banged her head on the floor quite hard, she didn't complain but they did log the accident, six months after the fall she kept getting headache's had a scan and turned out she had an inoperable brain tumour, she died shortly after diagnosis so sad she was only 50.

[BrexitSucks]

Are you sure you can't drive? Some of my broken arms I could have driven, not the worst break, though, tbf.

WWID: see if it needs Xraying tomorrow. You've waited at least 24 hours, so may as well go in the morning. Then get treatment as advised.

I don't wear flipflops anyway.

[ny20005]

Supermarkets generally have mats down where flowers are to soak any spillages & prevent slips & falls

That said, you should have been more careful on tiled floor when there's buckets of water with flowers

[SingaSong12]

Was there a large puddle of water with no sign or just a small amount from someone taking flowers out of the bucket? If you just happened to slip on a small amount of water I think YWBU to make a personal injury claim. There are some things that just accidents, nobody to blame just bad luck. not to say that you won't be successful either settlement or perhaps court.

If you are thinking of a claim then I'd talk to at least a couple of solicitors to find out how much they will charge you/fees for things like medical reports in case they are extra even if you have a no win no fee arrangement. See if you can get a recommendation from a friend (maybe they used them for something else like conveyancing) get the hospital to send copies of any reports to you as well as your GP.

Not sure whether the type of footwear would make a difference or not.
There is some basic info here on personal injury from citizens advice

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/legal-system/personal-injury/personal-injuries/

[IntoTheBeyond]

If they mop the floor they have to put out wet floor signs and this is no different imo.

Of course it's different. If a member of staff mops the floor, the floor will be wet. Ergo, a sign is put out.

Unless they have a member of staff posted to the flower stand for the whole of the store opening hours, there is likely to be a small amount of time each day where there are drops of water on the floor, before staff notice and deploy a sign.

Why not do that, you may ask?

Well, sure. But then you need a member of staff in every aisle in case a bottle or jar is dropped.

[Notsure1234]

I think the managers attitude was a bit shit and tbh I think it's irrelevant what type of footwear you were wearing.

However it is common sense surely that the floor may be wet around a fresh flower stand where people lift flowers out of buckets of water.

[trufflecake]

YANBU

My local supermarket doesn't have mats or flower bags at the display and it is almost impossible not to drip water on the floor. I've asked for the special flower bags a few times but there isn't always someone around. Without them, the water just continues to drip through the trolley as you walk away.

If I can work out that mats and flower bags are a good idea, then I think they should too!

Equally, not it is not smart to put the flower display directly in a main walkway as happens pretty often.

Flipflops are not every day shoes, but you could have slipped in wearing footwear too, otherwise they wouldn;t be obliged to out signs out when they know the floor is wet.

If it takes a claim to make them use their common sense, then you'll be doing other people a favour.