Love it or hate it, Black Friday is here again.
Every year, shops and retailers open their doors to the seasonal stampede of shoppers looking for the best sales and deals to kick off their holiday gift-buying. Promises for “doorbuster” sales and savings on Black Friday often results in lines out the door and restless, rabid consumers trying to claim “dibs” on the big, hot-ticket items. While this may be great for retailers, the ensuing mayhem can sometimes result in unexpected consequences.
Outside those scouting for Black Friday deals, the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season might have more infamous connotations for some people. Crowds, limited product supply, and incentive to act quickly can be a dangerous combination and unsurprisingly, Black Friday shopping outings have resulted in personal injuries and even death.
Below are some of the more unusual Black Friday accidents resulting in personal injuries. If you are planning on doing some Black Friday shopping, perhaps these accounts may serve as cautionary tales to consider. You don’t want to offset your holiday season with an injury.
5 Strangest Black Friday-Related Personal Injuries
Wrongful Tasing
A Black Friday shopper was wrongfully tased, handcuffed and detained by store security guards for alledgedly stealing firearm ammunition. The man was released after video surveillance was reviewed and allegations were proven false.
Tripped by Shopping Basket
Usually, Black Friday injuries arise from person-to-person altercations but sometimes it’s not just the customers you need to watch. One woman sued Kmart after tripping over a shopping basket during a 2013 Black Friday shopping trip. The woman, who sustained injuries from the fall, claimed in her suit that the shopping basket had been negligently placed on the floor by store employees.
Trampled Underfoot
The risk of being trampled by a crowd may be one of the most prevalent that shoppers face on Black Friday. While some incidents have resulted in more tragic outcomes then others, trampling remains a major cause of Black Friday-related personal injuries. In one 2014 case, a woman sued a Wal-Mart for negligence after sustaining injuries when she was knocked down from a crowd during a sales rush.
Renegade Skateboard
In this case from 2013, a woman sued Wal-Mart after tripping over a skateboard that had been left out in the toy aisle.
Sign on the Floor
In 2009, a woman sued a Dillard’s store after slipping on a sign that had fallen to the ground during a Black Friday shopping trip. The woman claimed sustained injuries from the fall resulted in pain management, physical therapy and surgery.