Package Delivery and Fall Injuries

 Posted on December 30, 2024 in Personal Injury

People increasingly prefer to shop from home. Especially in the winter before the holidays, it can be much more convenient to buy gifts online instead of driving from store to store or carrying bags around the mall. The trend towards online shopping becomes more pronounced each year. During the month of December, many people have boxes arriving almost daily. Unfortunately, packages can also be a tripping hazard, especially in apartment buildings where numerous residents are having deliveries made. Accidents can also occur during the delivery process, especially when delivery drivers are rushed. If you were injured by a careless package delivery person, an experienced Will County, IL personal injury attorney may be able to help you recover compensation.

Improperly Placed Packages Are a Tripping Hazard 

Package delivery workers should use reasonable care to place packages out of the way where people are not likely to trip over them. This means that packages should be set to the side of doorways and close to the wall if there is no designated mail area. Packages that are carelessly placed in front of doorways, where people exiting an apartment might not see them, can cause people to trip and fall. Even greater care must be used when the layout of an apartment building means that people’s doors open on staircase landings. Boxes should never be placed near the top of a staircase, as tripping and falling down the stairs can cause very serious injuries.

Boxes Should Not Impede Emergency Egress 

Poorly placed packages can be a fire hazard. Kitchen fires in apartment buildings are fairly common during the holidays when many people are trying to prepare special meals for large groups. While most fires of this nature are easily contained, the building may still be evacuated. Residents’ evacuation paths should not be impeded by delivered packages. If a box is unexpectedly placed near an exit, people may trip, especially if there is a real emergency and the hallways are smoky or dark.

Delivery Can Invite the Weather Inside

When there is snow on the ground, people should expect entryways to be wet and slippery. However, when the door is held open too long to facilitate package deliveries, the problem can be exacerbated. While residents of an apartment building are normally careful to wipe the snow off their shoes when coming inside, delivery people may be in too much of a rush to do this at every building they enter.

Contact a Will County, IL Trip and Fall Attorney 

McNamara Phelan McSteen, LLC is committed to helping people who have been injured in trip and fall accidents. If you were hurt after tripping over a carelessly placed package, our experienced Joliet, IL trip and fall lawyers may be able to help you recover compensation. Contact us at 815-727-0100 for a complimentary consultation.