Morgan & Morgan Wins $1.5m Verdict for Kentucky Man Injured at Lexington Walmart

[Lexington, KY] – A Fayette County jury awarded a 59-year-old Kentucky man a $1,599,451.50 verdict last week over injuries he suffered at a Lexington Walmart in 2021. Represented by Morgan & Morgan attorneys Tanner Shultz, Adrian Mendiondo and Danielle Blandford, the plaintiff declined the defense’s highest pre-trial settlement offer of $215,000 before ultimately being awarded the seven-figure verdict.

On June 27, 2021, the plaintiff sat in a plastic chair in the outdoor section of the Walmart on Grey Lag Way in Lexington. The chair collapsed underneath him, causing the plaintiff to fall to the ground. He immediately experienced shooting pain in his neck, side and leg and was transported to the emergency room from the scene. The plaintiff underwent physical therapy, epidural steroid injections, a lumbar laminectomy and a two-level fusion surgery in his cervical spine. The Morgan & Morgan trial team demonstrated to the jury how the injuries from the plaintiff’s fall in the store contributed to ongoing and severe pain in his neck and back, warranting the $1.5 million verdict against Walmart and Adams Manufacturing Company, the chair’s manufacturer, to cover his medical expenses and pain and suffering.

“We’re pleased to have secured justice for our client in a somewhat unusual case,” said Morgan & Morgan founder John Morgan and attorney Tanner Shultz. “We ultimately combined elements of premises liability and products liability litigation to hold both Walmart and Adams Manufacturing accountable for the permanent injuries our client suffered. This incident impacted his hobbies of hunting and fishing, as well as his ability to spend quality time with his family. Thanks to this verdict, he will be able to cover his ongoing medical expenses and move on with his life.”

The case was heard by Judge Thomas Travis in Fayette Circuit Court, Case No. 22-CI-00347. The defendants were represented by attorneys Christopher Cashen, Kyle Bunnell and Christopher Jackson of Dinsmore & Shohl.