Shopper Suing Woolworths For Millions After Slipping In Store

A Woolworths shopper is suing the retail giant for over a million dollars after she slipped on a grape in store.

Queensland nurse Charlotte Louise Bobbett has filed a legal claim against Woolworths Group Limited after she allegedly slipped on a grape at Woolworths Pacific Pines, Gold Coast in December 2015.

The nurse is suing the company for over $1.3 million, claiming the incident caused her physical and psychological damage.

Charlotte Louise Bobbett is suing Woolworths

Anxiety and Injuries

Ms Bobbett claims that as a direct result of her fall, she had injuries to her right shoulder, hip and lower back and eventually had to have hip replacement surgery. She also claims to have been diagnosed with adjustment disorder and anxiety.

She is claiming $1,300,278, including $850,000 for past and future economic loss, as her injuries prevented her from completing her nursing studies.

Ms Bobbett said that Woolworths should have been cleaning the store more regularly, especially during busy times close to Christmas. She added that the supermarket did not use non-slip mats on the floor, which could have prevented the incident.

Who do you think is in the right here? Would you be suing the supermarket if this happened to you? Tell us in the comments below.

19 Comments

- - meedee said
  - 23 Dec 2023
    10:43 am
I really think that we also have to be responsible for ourselves.

- - Frankiielot said
  - 07 Feb 2022
    7:58 pm
I doubt ONE grape could have caused that much damage – just saying!
People will try anything these days.

- - mum300445 said
  - 30 Sep 2021
    7:05 pm
Wow, that’s a lot of money for slipping on a grape! She’s lucky she slipped on it in the store and not at home.

- - mom112217 said
  - 02 Jan 2021
    7:10 pm
I have also slipped on The Woolworths floor but did not sue the company.I got over it and carried on!

- - mom62624 said
  - 20 Dec 2020
    9:37 am
I would not be suing the supermarket if this happened to me.

- - tessie said
  - 09 Nov 2020
    12:44 pm
What proof would she have after 5 years. I’m sorry but if she thought they should be sued then it should have been done then and not 5 years later. I hope that the judge throws it out of court.

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 05 Nov 2020
    8:42 am
This is an interesting one. Woolworths owes a duty of care to all of its staff and customers, however, I’m sceptical that someone could really slip on a grape and don’t understand how she wasn’t watching where she was walking

- - rovermum said
  - 02 Nov 2020
    11:43 am
No, I wouldn’t but I would hope the supermarket would be sympathetic to me if this happened.

- - ashna9 said
  - 01 Nov 2020
    9:34 pm
That is an awful lot of money;. I hope she’s not scamming them.

- - mom93821 said
  - 01 Nov 2020
    2:03 pm
The matter is going to court and the legal system will know the facts and make a decision.

- - Kylie said
  - 01 Nov 2020
    9:32 am
The lawyers will get the majority of the money and Woolworths will just settle out of court with a non disclosure clause to discourage others.

- - mom80165 said
  - 31 Oct 2020
    3:55 pm
Woolies has to be responsible if someone slips in the store and gets hurt, but it is hard for them to watch in case a crape drops from someone’s trolley. I wondered why it has taken 5 years to get to a court case? If she had gone straight away to a doctor and she had witness that she slippped and what it was she had slipped on she would have more of a case, I know some would be suspicious they all want to say your made it up but if genuine then she has a chance winning.

- - Gwen2620 said
  - 31 Oct 2020
    9:50 am
Who wins? The lawyers. It is about time people started taking responsibility for their actions. If I slipped on a grape it would be my fault for not looking where I was going.

- - mom101628 said
  - 30 Oct 2020
    11:24 pm
Don’t think I would be bothered suing a firm like Woolworths – somehow feel I should have been more careful in the first place. But her lawyers should make a lot of money out of this

- - SPerry37 said
  - 30 Oct 2020
    10:02 pm
They have to go for a top amount so I have been told
But to have anxiety and adjustment disorder seems like taking the piss out of Woolworths she most likely had that already had these issues

- - bramblehedge said
  - 29 Oct 2020
    10:00 pm
No idea but the issue isn’t the size of the object that caused her to fall, it’s the fall and whatever injuries she suffered. If it’s going to court, she obviously has the medical documents to back up her claim. The amount is irrelevant, plenty of people aim high in the hope if they win or reach a settlement, it will be reasonable.

- - Ellen said
  - 28 Oct 2020
    4:39 am
No I don’t think I would be suing a supermarket over a grape on the floor. Nor do I think that non-slip mats would be helpful and realistic. Although I do think supermarkets should clean their stores regularly, but from what I see they do !

- - mom468317 said
  - 27 Oct 2020
    11:45 pm
Not to say who is wrong or right, but Woolies could extend court proceedings as they would have time and money on their side. But they could also settle just to get this over with at a much more reduced price than what is (unreasonably) asked for. Negotiation 101: always set your price beyond what is reasonable and expect the other party to get closer to what you really want.

- - BellaB said
  - 27 Oct 2020
    7:20 pm
It sounds like an awful lot of money, and as though she’s taking advantage… but if it has caused long term injury and economic loss, maybe it’s fair.