$1 Million Dollar Verdict Against Wal-Mart Upheld

Fort Myers News Press is reporting that a million dollar verdict against Wal-Mart has been upheld by the Florida Court of Appeals. Linda Gail Wright slipped and fell in water and oil leaking from a a chicken rotisserie (yum!) at the Pine Island store.  Her injuries included serious neck injuries resulting in multiple surgeries.

Slip and fall cases are traditionally very difficult to prosecute. Tort law typically requires proof that the store actually knew that the hazard existed and failed to clean it up.  Further the person slipping on a substance has an affirmative duty to watch where they are walking.  By the way, slip and fall on natural accumulatons of ice and snow are almost never a basis for a claim agains the property owner.