PERTH, AUSTRALIA – A 69-year-old grandmother, Dusanka Koljibabic, is speaking out against Woolworths after she slipped and fell in one of their stores, shattering her wrist and requiring surgery.
Koljibabic was shopping at the Melville Woolworths in Perth’s southern suburbs when she lost her footing due to a little girl playing with a cleaning product in the aisle.
The incident occurred less than a minute after the girl sprayed the product on the floor.
As a result, Koljibabic’s wrist was shattered, requiring a metal plate and a long, painful recovery.
The grandmother is now criticizing Woolworths, claiming they have denied liability for the incident despite being offered a one-off payment of $3,000, which she deemed “insulting.”
Koljibabic has already spent at least $5,000 on medical expenses and faces up to two years of rehabilitation.
Investigation and Legal Action Woolworths stated that they take the health and safety of their customers and team members very seriously, but Koljibabic’s lawyer is considering taking legal action against the parents or guardians of the little girl who sprayed the cleaning product.
The case highlights the challenge of proving negligence in supermarket slip-and-fall incidents, with the High Court ruling in 2012 that stores have a 15-20 minute window to identify and remove hazards.
In a similar case, a Sydney woman who was awarded $151,000 in compensation after slipping on a grape at her local Woolworths lost the payout on appeal.
The NSW District Court initially ruled in her favor, but the decision was later overturned.
If you have any information about the incident or have witnessed similar incidents, please contact authorities or the store management.