Every day, workers and shoppers walk into grocery stores believing one simple thing: the company has their back. Safety policies on the wall, “clean-up protocols,” inspection charts—these are supposed to mean something. They’re supposed to keep people safe.

But too often, they’re nothing more than PR language masquerading as protection.

The recent Kroger case made that painfully clear. What looked like a corporation with robust internal “safety rules” turned out to be a company whose own employees couldn’t rely on those rules to prevent danger. And when safety collapses inside a massive retail chain, everyday people are the ones who pay the price.

Under Michigan law, businesses have a legal duty to maintain reasonably safe premises. Yet corporations often treat safety as an afterthought, reacting only after someone is hurt. At Marko Law, we see it again and again—and we refuse to let corporations walk away from the harm they cause. We’re a Detroit trial firm that stands up for the injured, the overlooked, and the people who trusted a company to do the right thing.

What Happened in the Kroger Case?

Background of the Case

In this case, a customer was seriously injured because Kroger failed to follow its own safety protocols. The injury wasn’t caused by bad luck, and it wasn’t unavoidable—it was the predictable result of a system where safety existed on paper, not in practice.

The incident exposed glaring gaps between what corporate policy promised and what actually happened inside the store:

• Understaffed departments with no one available to monitor hazards
• Spill protocols ignored or delayed
• Inspection procedures skipped
• Clean-up logs filled out late—or not at all
• Supervisors who failed to enforce even the most basic safety steps

This was not a fluke. It was a breakdown in corporate responsibility.

Why This Case Matters Beyond One Store

Kroger is one of the largest grocery chains in the United States. When safety policies fail at one store, the risk extends across thousands more. What happened here isn’t an isolated event—it’s a window into systemic problems that exist in large corporate environments.

The patterns exposed in this case mirror the issues we see across Michigan:

• Slippery floors left unattended
• Falling merchandise and overloaded shelves
• Broken or poorly maintained equipment
• Dangerous parking lots with no real inspection process

When a company grows, so does its responsibility. But too many corporations cut corners instead of investing in the safety that protects the public.

The Illusion of Safety: Corporate Policies That Look Good on Paper

“Safety Manuals” vs. Actual Safety Practices

Many corporations have thick safety binders—packed with rules, procedures, and flowcharts. They look impressive. They sound reassuring.

But the truth?

Most are rarely updated, barely enforced, and often ignored.

Employees get minimal or rushed training. Some stores ignore inspection schedules entirely. The “policy” becomes nothing more than a document used to defend the company in court rather than prevent injuries in real life.

Cost-Cutting Over Safety

Safety takes time. It takes staff. It takes resources.

When corporations prioritize profit margins over people, they reduce staff, delay maintenance, and stretch workers too thin—all of which create dangerous conditions. And the data backs it up: falls, slips, and trips remain one of the leading causes of workplace injuries nationwide, as reflected in Bureau of Labor Statistics reports.

Kroger is not alone in this pattern—but that doesn’t make it any less accountable.

When Policies Become Shields Instead of Protections

Corporations love to argue, “We had a policy, so we’re not liable.” But Michigan premises liability law focuses on what the business actually did, not what they claim they intended to do.

A safety rule you don’t enforce is not a defense. It’s evidence.

What the Kroger Case Revealed About Systemic Negligence

Failure to Follow Their Own Safety Protocols

In the Kroger case, the truth came out through:

• Store logs
• Surveillance footage
• Witness statements
• Maintenance records

They painted a clear picture: Kroger did not follow the rules they themselves created. That’s negligence—plain and simple. And as Cornell Law explains, negligence occurs when a company fails to act as a reasonably careful property owner would under similar circumstances.

No Real Monitoring or Accountability

Having a “policy” is meaningless if no one enforces it. Without supervision, training, or consequences, even the best-written safety manual collapses.

Corporate safety systems fail not because the rules are unclear—but because no one is actually accountable for following them.

Slow or Nonexistent Response to Known Risks

In this case and many others, certain patterns repeat again and again:

• Hazard reports that never get addressed
• The same aisle or area causing repeated problems
• Managers who default to “I didn’t know,” hoping ignorance shields the corporation

These aren’t accidents—they’re symptoms of a broken system.

What This Says About Corporate Culture

Many corporations engage in what we call safety theater: public-facing gestures that make them look compliant, while behind the scenes they cut costs, cut staff, and cut corners. Litigation, safety data, and expert investigations often reveal the same thing:

A culture where safety is optional, and people get hurt because of it.

Holding Corporations Accountable: How Evidence Exposes the Truth

Surveillance Footage, Maintenance Logs, and Employee Testimony

In cases like Kroger’s, evidence tells the real story. Video clips, internal safety logs, and employee statements often reveal whether corporate safety policies were followed—or ignored. These records can make or break a case.

Corporate Documents and Safety Manuals

Sometimes the company’s own paperwork is the most damning evidence. Safety manuals often promise strict protocols, while real-world operations show chronic undertraining, missed inspections, and nonexistent oversight.

Expert Review and Safety Standards

Industry experts, OSHA guidelines, and corporate incident histories help reveal whether a company failed to meet basic safety expectations. When corporations deviate from known standards, it becomes clear how preventable the injury truly was.

Why Trial Lawyers Matter

Corporations rarely admit wrongdoing. They hire teams of lawyers to deflect blame, downplay injuries, and avoid paying what victims deserve.

That’s why you need a trial attorney who is not afraid to confront them.

Jon Marko, a nationally recognized civil rights and personal injury attorney with multiple multimillion-dollar verdicts, has built a career exposing corporate negligence and fighting for people who otherwise would have no voice. When corporations push back, we push harder.

Don’t Let Corporate Negligence Define Your Future—Marko Law Is Here to Help

Corporate safety policies only matter when companies enforce them. The Kroger case made one thing crystal clear: a policy sitting in a binder doesn’t protect anyone. When corporations fail to follow their own rules, the people who trust them—shoppers, workers, families—are the ones who get hurt.

Michigan law gives injured people the right to hold negligent corporations accountable. You have legal protections, and you have options. You don’t have to feel powerless, and you definitely don’t have to square off against a billion-dollar company alone.

At Marko Law, we fight hard for people who’ve been ignored, dismissed, or harmed because a corporation put profits before safety. And we don’t back down—ever.

If you or someone you love was injured because a corporation failed to keep its property safe, you deserve more than apologies—you deserve justice.

Contact Marko Law for a Free Case Evaluation
📞 Phone: +1-313-777-7777
📍 Main Office: 220 W. Congress, 4th Floor, Detroit, MI 48226
🌐 Website: https://www.markolaw.com/