A jury has decided that an Alabama Walmart must pay $7.5 million to a customer who injured himself picking up a watermelon. In 2015, Henry Walker’s foot got stuck on a pallet when he reached to get one of the fruits. He then fell over and broke his hip and foot. Mr. Walker is a 59-year-old retired army sergeant.

Walmart believes that the watermelon display is safe and they will continue using it. The courts decided that Mr. Walker would be paid $2.5 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages. Charlie Gower, the lawyer for Mr. Walker, said, “It was a fair verdict because Walmart just didn’t care. They should have had something to cover up that pallet so someone’s foot couldn’t get caught in it, and they didn’t.” Henry Walker was an avid basketball player but is now relegated to using a walker.

Walmart claims that the injury took place due to the customer’s negligence. In a court filing, Walmart stated that they will continue to "display watermelons in the same manner as it did on June 25, 2015. These displays come to the store from the producer already packaged and ready to be dropped and displayed." The megastore plans on appealing the verdict.

Source: bbc.com