Determining liability was simple when grocery store cameras recorded an 86-year-old woman being struck from behind by a merchandise cart that was pushed by an Anheuser-Busch employee. Although the corporate brewing company admitted liability, they disputed the extent of the plaintiff’s injuries.
The slip and fall injury case, Plent v. Anheuser-Busch, was filed over a year ago. Prior to the trial, the defendant offered a final settlement amount of $85,000. The plaintiff declined this sum, estimating total medical costs of nearly $300,000.
As the trial progressed, Anheuser-Busch increased their settlement offer to $500,000 which was also declined.
In the end, the jury awarded the injured party a large sum of $886,974, more than ten times the original offer.
Liability Is Not a Guarantee of Fair Settlement
While the plaintiff ultimately won the suit, this should serve as an example of how injuries can be disputed, even if you hold no fault in the accident. If you’ve been injured as a result of another person’s negligence, don’t automatically assume both medical and nonmedical costs will be reimbursed fairly. In order to reach the best outcome, it’s highly recommended to consult with a personal injury lawyer who will work with you to avoid pitfalls like unfair compensation.