A PetSmart in Virginia settled a lawsuit brought by a Poquoson, Virginia (VA) man who was injured when he slipped and fell on dog poop in the Newport News store, according to the Virginian-Pilot.
The victim was a customer at the Jefferson Avenue store in VA on January 18, 2009 when he slipped and suffered serious injuries due to a pile of dog feces that was on the floor. When he slipped, he grabbed hold of his daughter forcefully, and wrenched his back, knocked out his false teeth, and struck his head.
The customer required back surgery, and sued for $1 million. PetSmart denied wrongdoing and said the customer did not fall down and was not injured as a result of slipping. The customer also had a preexisting back injury. The fact that PetSmart challenged the victim’s claims is not surprising. Often property owners, in slip and fall cas, claim the injured person was not paying attention, assumed the risks of an accident by entering the unsafe situation, or otherwise contributed to the fall.
Fortunately, this slip and fall victim was able to get compensation for his injuries through the settlement process.
To learn more about your legal options in a slip and fall case, check out our Frequently Asked Questions devoted to the subject.
LC