US retail giant Wal-Mart is reportedly being sued for negligence after a customer slipped, fell and became injured on a wet floor in a store in Louisiana.
The complainant, Opal Lennix, claims she was shopping the shoe department of a Wal-Mart store in LaPlace, Louisiana, when the accident happened. She claims that she slipped and fell due to water on the floor, causing back, knee and hip injuries and what has been described as the start of a joint disorder.
Ms Lennix is now seeking compensation from Wal-Mart for emotional distress, pain and suffering, medical costs and legal expenses. Reiterating that the plaintiff was in no way responsible for the incident, the lawsuit states:
“The defendant, Wal-Mart Stores, was guilty of gross and wanton negligence, and was the sole and proximate cause of petitioner’s accident and the resulting injuries,”
Lennix filed the lawsuit last month in a District Court, but Wal-Mart removed the case to a New Orleans federal court in early June.
This case just goes to show how a single accident can turn into a legal nightmare for even large corporations like Wal-Mart, which is why public liability and other professional insurance policies for businesses is essential.