It may be hard to imagine, but a simple slip and fall in the Orlando area can happen in a split second and can impact the rest of your life.
Take for instance, retired Army Sgt. Henry Walker, who was just trying to buy a watermelon at his local Walmart store. According to the court documents, as Walker was reaching for the perfect watermelon from the display, his foot got lodged in the side opening of the wooden pallet under the watermelon container. This made him take a bad fall, which shattered his hip and changed his life in a split second.
The injury changed Mr. Walker’s life. Instead of playing basketball several times a week, to get around, he now must use a walker. Nobody goes into a store thinking they are going to be injured.
Walmart was sued for negligence and wantonness. The jurors agreed, the store had not kept the property reasonably safe and awarded Henry Walker $7.5 million, $2.5 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages.
Security footage was shown to the Jurors of many other customers in the same store who also caught a foot in the pallet.
We all walk into stores and don’t think twice, we assume it is will be safe. Unfortunately, Mr. Walker came out on a stretcher.
The fact is, all stores and business have the responsibility to provide a safe environment for their customers and guests.
Safety is something we all need to be vigilant about, whether it is a slip and fall in the grocery store, car accident, or even a dog bite. Your life or that of a loved one, can be turned upside down in a minute! Medical bills can quickly add up, it is important to be protected.
If someone else’s negligence has caused you injury, you need the assistance of James P. Kelley, an Orlando personal injury attorney, to ensure you get the compensation you deserve.