Target stores across New Jersey welcome thousands of shoppers daily. While these retail giants offer convenience and value, they also present safety hazards that can lead to serious injuries. If you’ve been hurt at a Target store in New Jersey, understanding your rights is the first step toward getting the compensation you deserve.
The Reality of Target Store Accidents
Target operates as a one-stop shopping destination, combining grocery sections with home improvement, electronics, and general merchandise. This bustling environment creates multiple opportunities for accidents to occur.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that of all the emergency-room visits in the US in 2023, more than 8.8 million were from unintentional falls. This was followed by unintentional hitting (getting struck), with nearly 3 million incidents. Other top causes of emergencies included unintentional cuts and pierces, as well as overexertion.
At Target stores, many factors contribute to accident risk. With hundreds of customers visiting each location hourly, spills happen, merchandise falls, and maintenance issues arise. Unfortunately, not all of these hazards receive prompt attention from staff.
Types of Injuries Common in Target Accidents
Target store accidents can result in various injuries, ranging from minor to life-threatening:
- Fractures: Broken bones in wrists, arms, hips, or ankles are common in slip and fall accidents.
- Head injuries: Traumatic brain injuries and concussions can occur when victims hit their heads during falls. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) most frequently result from fall-related accidents.
- Spinal injuries: Falls can cause herniated discs, compressed vertebrae, or more severe spinal cord damage.
- Soft-tissue injuries: Sprains, strains, and tears in muscles, ligaments, and tendons are frequent outcomes.
- Cuts and lacerations: Sharp edges on shelving, broken merchandise, or store fixtures can cause deep cuts requiring stitches.
Common Target Store Hazards
Several dangerous conditions frequently cause accidents in Target stores:
- Wet floors and spills: Grocery sections, food courts, and beverage aisles create prime locations for liquid spills. Without proper cleanup or warning signs, these areas become slip hazards.
- Falling merchandise: Improperly stocked shelves or heavy items placed too high can fall and strike customers below.
- Cluttered aisles: Boxes, shopping carts, and restocking equipment left in walkways create tripping hazards.
- Entrance areas: During bad weather, water, snow, and ice accumulate at store entrances, creating slippery conditions.
- Poor lighting: Dimly lit areas in parking lots or storage sections make it difficult to see potential hazards.
- Defective shopping carts: Broken wheels or sharp edges on carts can cause injuries during use.
Why Target May Be Liable
Target can be held responsible for customer injuries when they fail to maintain safe premises. Common examples of negligence include:
- Failing to clean up spills promptly
- Not placing warning signs around hazardous areas
- Inadequate lighting in parking lots or store areas
- Improper stacking of merchandise
- Broken or defective shopping carts
- Failure to inspect premises regularly
- Inadequate training of staff on safety protocols.
Premises Liability Laws in New Jersey
Under New Jersey law, property owners must ensure safe conditions for visitors. New Jersey Revised Statutes section 59:4-2 mandates that injury victims demonstrate their harm stemmed from a hazardous property condition.
To win a premises liability case against Target in New Jersey, you must prove four key elements:
- Duty of care: Target owed you a duty to maintain safe premises.
- Breach of duty: Target failed to meet this safety obligation.
- Causation: Target’s negligence directly caused your injury.
- Damages: You suffered actual harm and losses.
Additional Considerations in a New Jersey Target Accident Claim
- Notice requirement: In some cases, you must also show that the property owner knew or should have known about the hazard and had a reasonable opportunity to fix it.
- “Mode of operation” doctrine: In certain commercial settings, if the business’s operating methods create foreseeable hazards, the injured party may not have to prove the owner had notice of the specific hazard.
The most challenging aspect often involves proving Target knew or should have known about the dangerous condition. To succeed in a claim, the injured party must show that the property owner knew or should have known about the hazardous condition prior to the incident.
Steps to Take After a Target Accident
If you’re injured at a Target store, taking the right steps immediately can strengthen your potential legal claim:
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- Seek medical attention: Your health comes first. Get medical care right away, even when injuries appear minimal. Some injuries don’t show symptoms immediately.
- Alert store management: Inform store officials about your accident and request a copy of their incident documentation.
- Avoid detailed statements: While you should report the basic facts, avoid giving extensive statements to Target employees or insurance representatives without legal counsel.
- Gather evidence: Photograph the accident location, dangerous conditions that led to your injury, and any visible harm you sustained. Get contact information from any witnesses.
- Preserve evidence: Keep the clothing and shoes you wore during the accident. Don’t throw away damaged items.
- Consult an attorney: Discuss your case with a personal injury lawyer to determine your legal options. At Grossman Law, your initial consultation is free, so you can get high-quality legal guidance at no cost.
Filing Deadlines for Legal Claims
New Jersey law gives most slip and fall victims two years from their injury date to file a lawsuit. This statute of limitations is strict, and missing the deadline can permanently bar your claim. However, complex cases may have exceptions, making it crucial to consult with an experienced attorney promptly.
The Role of Security Cameras
Target stores maintain extensive security camera systems throughout their facilities. These recordings often provide crucial evidence in accident cases. The footage can show:
- How the accident occurred
- Whether warning signs were present
- How long a hazardous condition existed before your accident
- Whether employees were aware of the danger.
Your attorney can request this footage, but it’s important to act quickly as stores typically delete recordings after a certain period.
Compensation for Target Accident Victims
Successful premises liability claims can result in compensation for various losses:
- Medical expenses: Current and future medical bills related to your injury
- Lost wages: Income lost due to time off work for treatment and recovery
- Pain and suffering: Compensation for physical pain and emotional distress
- Disability: Additional compensation if your injury causes permanent impairment
- Property damage: Replacement costs for damaged personal belongings.
Challenges in Target Accident Cases
Several factors can complicate Target accident claims:
- Corporate resources: Target has teams of lawyers and insurance adjusters who may be working to minimize payouts.
- Shared fault rules: New Jersey applies comparative negligence principles, which can decrease your recovery if you bear some responsibility for the accident.
- Witness availability: Store customers who witnessed your accident may be difficult to locate later.
- Surveillance evidence: Target may claim cameras weren’t working or footage was automatically deleted.
Why You Need an Experienced Attorney
Handling a premises liability claim against a major corporation like Target requires legal expertise. An experienced New Jersey personal injury attorney can:
- Investigate the accident thoroughly
- Gather and preserve crucial evidence
- Interview witnesses while memories are fresh
- Work with experts to analyze the scene
- Handle communications with Target’s insurance company
- Fight for maximum compensation.
Scott Grossman’s Expertise in Premises Liability Cases
Scott Grossman, founder of Grossman Law Firm, brings over 25 years of experience representing New Jersey accident victims. Attorney Scott Grossman has spent more than two decades helping personal injury clients navigate complex legal proceedings and advocating for injured individuals across New Jersey. His representation has secured fair compensation for thousands of accident victims.
With his stellar track record, Scott Grossman has been named among the Super Lawyers from 2022 through 2025. This prestigious designation honors exceptional attorneys in specialized fields based on comprehensive evaluation standards. This recognition reflects his commitment to excellence in personal injury law.
Having secured millions in settlements and court awards, The Grossman Law Firm delivers sophisticated legal expertise while maintaining personalized client relationships. Scott’s approach focuses on treating each client as an individual, not just another case file.
The Grossman Law Firm Advantage
When you choose Grossman Law Firm for your Target accident case, you benefit from:
- Proven track record: The Grossman Law Firm has won millions of dollars for thousands of New Jersey injury victims over the past two decades.
- Personalized attention: When we work with a client, we focus our attention and resources on their case. Thus, they receive an aggressive force of legal representation as well as service with compassion and integrity.
- No upfront costs: We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win your case
- Comprehensive support: Our team handles all aspects of your case while you focus on recovery.
With millions recovered in settlements and verdicts, the firm has consistently secured fair and just monetary compensation for clients to pay for medical treatment, pain and suffering and more. Our track record demonstrates a commitment to thorough investigation and aggressive advocacy to help clients recover the compensation they need to rebuild their lives.
Contact Our Top-Rated New Jersey Target Accident Attorney
If you’ve been injured at a Target store in New Jersey, don’t wait to seek legal help. Failing to meet filing deadlines carries serious consequences. Without court-granted extensions, your slip and fall case becomes legally invalid.
The Grossman Law Firm is recognized as a top-rated personal injury law firm in New Jersey, with a proven track record of success in premises liability cases. Scott Grossman and his attorneys demonstrate sincere concern for clients, offering dedicated and personalized representation to each individual.
Call (732) 625-9494 today for a free consultation. We’ll review your case, explain your rights, and discuss how we can help you pursue the compensation you deserve. Our contingency fee structure means no payment until we achieve success in your case.
Don’t let Target’s insurance company take advantage of you during this difficult time. Trust your case to an experienced New Jersey personal injury attorney who will fight tirelessly for your rights and the compensation you deserve.
Grossman Law Firm represents clients across New Jersey, spanning Monmouth County, Middlesex County, Ocean County, and neighboring regions. Our skilled legal team stands prepared to guide you through intricate legal proceedings and pursue the justice you merit.
