Find Out Why Fall in Supermarket Spill Resulted in $1.6 Million Award

If you think that slip-and-fall accidents aren’t serious matters, you couldn’t be more mistaken. The truth of the matter is that slip-and-fall accidents are the top cause of all injuries in the U.S., and often have serious consequences.

A good example of the severity of such instances is last year’s verdict in Portland, Oregon of am 85-year-old man who was severely injured after falling in a suburban supermarket and awarded $1.6 million in damages.

In this issue, we’ll talk about the man’s case and slip-and-fall accidents in general.

The Case at a Glance

The man was injured while shopping in a supermarket he had visited more than 100 times previously. According to reports, supermarket employees failed to take proper safety measures after a spill by a bakery worker.

Rather than immediately placing orange warning cones around the spill area, the employee instead left the area for three minutes in search of a mop to clean the spill.

During that three-minute interval, the victim walked into the spill area and fell, breaking his femur bone.

Evasive Actions Taken by Supermarket

In violation of the supermarket’s own rules, the store manager failed to get the victim’s name and contact information, and eventually destroyed surveillance video of the incident – in direct violation of the victim’s lawyer asking the supermarket management to preserve the video.

Furthermore, the supermarket management attempted to shift blame to the victim himself, pointing to his age and improperly placing items in his shopping cart.

How the Jury Ruled

Determining that the victim’s injuries prevented him from living the active life he once had, the jury awarded him $1.6 million.

Facts From Slip-and-Fall Accidents

According to the National Floor Safety Institute, falls account for more than 9 million visits to hospital emergency rooms. Other facts include:

  • Slips-and-Falls being the primary cause of lost days from work;
  • In the U.S., one of every three persons over the age of 65 experience a fall; and
  • For people between 65-84, falls are the second leading cause of injury-related death.

If you’ve suffered a slip-and-fall accident in Alaska, call Barber & Associates.

Get in touch with us here at Barber & Associates. The first consultation is always free.

Our number is 907-276-5858 or you can reach us via email.

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