Slip and Fall in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida Causes Serious Life Changes
During a quick stop at the grocery store for a couple of items, our 62 year old divorced client in this case was proceeding toward the express lane with groceries in hand, when she slipped on an unknown wet substance, causing her to fall onto her left knee. This unknown liquid was located near the express checkout lane of the store. Although unable to identify the wet substance on the floor, the client stated that it was a clear liquid and was unnoticeable.
Grocery store employees, including the manager, came to this lady’s assistance immediately after her fall and provided the victim with paper towels to clean the liquid from her body and from the floor. It seems the manager of this grocery store completed an incident report, but no copy was given to our client.
No one seemed to know where the liquid could have come from. However, after some investigation into this matter, it was established that buckets filled with water and flowers had been placed at the end of several of the checkout aisles, in the hopes that customers would notice the flowers and purchase them on their way to the cash register. Of course, in the process of choosing the flowers and taking them to the cash register, the flowers would drip water all over the floor, thereby causing a hazardous environment for the customers.
All businesses that anticipate customers moving about their establishment have a duty to maintain a safe and hazard-free environment for their invited guests. This grocery store breached this duty and additionally failed to warn its guests of an existing hazard. As a result of this store’s failure to maintain a safe, clean and hazard-free environment, or warn it’s guests of an existing hazard, this client sustained a permanent injury in this serious slip and fall accident.
After slipping on this liquid and falling onto her left knee, the victim was transported to Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, where x-rays revealed a displaced fracture of the left patella. The hospital referred this lady to a specialist for a surgical consultation, and less than two weeks after her fall, she underwent an open reduction and internal fixation of the displaced fracture to her left patella.
For the next eight weeks following her surgery, this client was required to wear a knee immobilizer and remain on protected weight bearing restrictions. She was able to walk without external support after this time, but she continued to have limited range of motion and was required to complete necessary physical therapy for an additional eight weeks.
The surgeon indicated that the internal hardware in this victim’s left knee would need to be removed within the next six months, obviously involving additional surgery and expense.
As you can see,slip and fall accidents, sometimes also referred to as premises liability accidents, can be life altering events. This client missed several weeks of work, has been unable to play with her grandchildren, was forced to rely on others to assist her in required daily activities, and has been forced to make unwanted life changes overall. However, after a three day jury trial, Richard D. Schuler was awarded a jury verdict of $250,000.00 in favor of this seriously injured client and she will now be able to obtain the future surgery she will need.
