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SWFL woman wins lawsuit against Wal-Mart

SWFL woman wins a million dollar lawsuit against Wal-Mart

By Nick Spinetto, WINK News

NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. - A North Fort Myers woman wins a million dollar lawsuit against Wal-Mart.

A jury awarded 57-year-old Gail Wright the money after agreeing Wal-Mart negligence caused Wright to fall.

Wright sued the retail giant after she says she fell in the store back in October 2002.

She says she was walking in the store when she slipped on a puddle of oil and water that spilled from Rotissere chicken.

She says the fall seriously injured her neck, causing permanent damage.

Over the past few years, she had to undergo several operations and will have to have several more to repair the damage to several discs in her neck.

Right now a small titanium cylinder is holding her neck together.

Wright explained all this to a Lee County jury last week.

After a 4 day trial, the jury awarded her a million dollar settlement.

Wright says she's happy about the verdict, but a once active horse rider and trainer, she says the damage done to her life can't be repaired.

"It's not easy. You go from living one lifestyle to another. It's not easy," Wright said choking back tears.

Wal-Mart says they may fight the verdict.

A Wal-Mart spokeswoman says, "Our associates work very hard to provide a safe shopping environment for our customers. In the Wright case, we respectfully disagree with the jury's decision and are considering our post-trial options."

Monday, Jul 28 at 3:28 PM mary mcg wrote ...

I believe she fell. Walmart workers need to be better trained....I fell myself in Wal mart....they have done nothing I know people look for a cheap way out...some want to suite .I just want them to do the right thing. take care of what my medical bills are with this fall

Sunday, Jul 27 at 10:52 AM Dewey Screwum wrote ...

She wants to buy a new doublewide

Wednesday, Jul 16 at 10:38 AM lehigh wrote ...

I feel bad for her. I know how lawsuites are and they are very stressful.I am sure she is in pain. Three years of this plus all her surgeries Wow! Walmarts need to clean up there acts. I know for sure the one in Lehigh is a dump and some of the people work there just want a paycheck and the heck w/ the rest. Good luck to the woman and hopefully she will be pain free-I know how pain feels!!!

Wednesday, Jul 16 at 10:20 AM RW wrote ...

This sounds like another attempt to sue the large corporation with it's deep pockets. I don't believe her for a minute. We all have to take responsibility for our actions, maybe she just fell on her own?

Tuesday, Jul 15 at 10:43 PM TN RN wrote ...

Yes I do watch where I am going. I am an adult and I am responsible for where I go and what I do. The way this seems if I am not watching where I am going and get injured, its someone else's fault. HMMM If I accidentally walk into someones car and hurt my self in a parking lot, is it the drivers fault? Oh yeah, auto insurance policies aren't as lucrative. At least when drivers are responsible enough to have insurance.

Tuesday, Jul 15 at 7:11 PM RParke wrote ...

TN RN, Be for real, do you walk around with your head down looking before you take a step. Exactly, I work in retail right now and you can have spills at anytime, anywhere and spills by customers are the worst,because a lot of time they won't notify employees about them. I hope she can invest and it will last her a lifetime.

Tuesday, Jul 15 at 2:21 PM TN RN wrote ...

The question has to be asked, Was Ms. Wright not watching where she was going? Rotisserie oil is not clear. What his her liability of fault. I put myself through nursing school working in retail. I can tell you corporations will bend over backward to clean up spills/hazards for this very reason. They don't want people to injure themselves in thier stores and then have to shell out $$$$. Also is the $$ really going to cover this lady's medical expenses? The lawyers probably got more than she did

Tuesday, Jul 15 at 4:38 AM Mojo wrote ...

Keep it clean, keep it safe.

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