Wal-Mart to pay $10 million for slip and fall injuries
A store can be one of the most dangerous places in your neighborhood. Many people visit Wal-Mart stores in New Jersey and throughout the country without suspecting that they can suffer serious personal injuries from a slip and fall accident. Some slip and falls are the result of clumsy costumers or untied shoe laces whereas other slip and fall accidents are due to cluttered aisles and poorly maintained premises.
Some retailers have a harder time maintaining a safe customer environment than others. Wal-Mart, the country’s biggest retailer, faces the daunting challenge of keeping its mega-sized stores safe. Customer safety becomes even more challenging during winter when ice accumulation can cause many customers to risk their safety while walking in Wal-Mart parking lots.
One truck driver was recently awarded $15 million for her personal injuries arising from a slip and fall at a Wal-Mart store. The trucker was delivering goods to the store and slipped on a combination of oil and grease near the store. A court recently affirmed the jury’s verdict against Wal-Mart after reducing it for a state cap on non-economic damages.
A large problem in this case was the retailer’s failure to admit responsibility for creating a dangerous environment for the trucker. The retailer attempted to deny the existence of the grease slick until the trucker’s lawyer revealed city documents indicating that grease from the store’s deli escaped from a device that was supposed to prevent it from going into the sewer system. The retailer’s failure to accept responsibility combined with the trucker’s severe spine injuries made this verdict an example of justice done through the help of a personal injury attorney.
Source: CBS News, “Wal-Mart to pay trucker $10M for greasy ice fall,” Nov. 7, 2011
