Supermarket Injury Compensation

An Australian woman, who sustained serious spinal injuries after slipping on a chip that had been discarded close to the food counter of a local store, has had her slipped on food on shop floor claim for compensation upheld by the High Court in Sydney.

Kathryn Strong, an amputee who relies heavily on the aid of her crutches to walk, was passing the food counter of the Woolworths store at the Centro Taree Shopping Centre in New South Wales in September 2004, when she slipped on a greasy chip that had been left on the floor and fell heavily – sustaining serious spinal injuries.

Kathryn sued Woolworths in the New South Wales District Court for slipped on spilt food in supermarket compensation, claiming that their lack of reasonable care and failing to provide a safe thoroughfare had directly led to her injuries.

Kathryn won her slipped on food on shop floor claim and was awarded AU 580,299 dollars. However, the case was overturned on appeal by Woolworths on the grounds that Kathryn had not proven a lack of reasonable care and she was forced to take her claim to the High Court.

At the High Court in Sydney, the court´s judges ruled that “reasonable care” required Woolworths to inspect and remove slipping hazards at 20 minute intervals and, as Woolworths could not demonstrate that such a cleaning schedule was in place, “on the balance of probabilities” the store was liable for Kathryn´s injuries.

Re-instating the decision made at the New South Wales District Court, Kathryn was awarded AU 580,299 dollars plus costs in respect of her slipped on food on shop floor claim.

A woman injured by a falling item in a shop has been awarded a £30,000 compensation award in the Circuit Civil Court.

Breeda Redican was injured in July 2009 when a tin of paint fell on her foot from a shelf at the Homebase store. The incident happened when Redican requested help finding a specific type of paint from a sales assistant. The assistant showed her the location of the paint on a shelf at face level height but simply stood beside Redican while she attempted to left the can of paint.  The can of paint was 2.5 litres and handle on the tin was not visible because the tins were packed tight together. Redican was not able to heavy paint tin and it slipped and fell on her right foot.  Redican was wearing flip-flops and needed stitching on her toes. Redican has suffered ongoing reduced mobility in her foot with some additional pain.

Homebase denied any negligence but the judge awarded £30,000 compensation.

A woman, who sustained shoulder and hip injuries when slipping on the access bridge to a Leicestershire shopping centre, has secured compensation for slipping on a wet surface in a shopping centre.

A sixteen year old boy, who sustained deep cuts in his thigh when climbing over a supermarket car park fence, has had a supermarket car park injury compensation settlement of £44,555 approved.

Michael Hogan was just eleven years of age when the accident happened in 2006. Climbing over a supermarket car park fence, he caught his leg on a protruding and unprotected nail, which tore a deep V-shaped wound into the inside of his left thigh.

Michael’s injuries were so severe that he had to have a double layer of inner flesh stitched together while under a general anaesthetic and, although he has recovered now, will be left with a permanent scar as a reminder of his injury.

Liability for the injury was uncontested by the owners of the shopping centre and the judge heard that the defendants had made a settlement offer of £44,555. The judge approved the offer, also ordering that it should be invested in court funds until Michael’s 18th birthday in March 2015.