Retail giant Wal-Mart appears to be out $10 million in connection with a serious injury suffered by a truck driver who was making a delivery to one of the chain’s stores in northern Colorado.
The Colorado Supreme Court has upheld a jury verdict against Wal-Mart in the case involving truck driver Holly Averyt.
Averyt slipped and fell on ice and grease while making a delivery to the store. A jury awarded $15 million to her in November 2010. Wal-Mart appealed.
Now, the state’s highest court has said the jury verdict stands. However, the justices reduced the award amount by about $5 million because of a state law that caps non-economic damages.
Averyt had to undergo three spinal surgeries, was unable to return to work and lost her truck. Her lawyers presented documents that showed some grease from the store’s deli didn’t get trapped in a device designed to keep it from getting into the sewer.
Wal-Mart Stores claimed there had been no grease spill at the store in Greeley, CO.
Wal-Mart says it respectfully disagrees with the court’s decision.