Earlier today, Walmart reported a drop in sales (of some 3.5%) for the month of April 2007.
Sales ain't the only thing dropping at the company.
Rosemarie Dragotta slipped and fell on a puddle of "clear liquid" while in a Walmart store out in Centereach, Long Island.
When she later sued the company in the Suffolk County Supreme Court for the injuries she incurred, Walmart countered with a motion for summary judgment -- a request that the case be dismissed on papers submitted to the court, without the need for a formal hearing or trial.
The Supreme Court granted Walmart's request, and the Appellate Division, Second Department, affirmed that outcome on appeal.
Apparently, the employees of the Centereach store undertake an hourly "safety sweep" during business hours. Not only do maintenance personnel monitor and clean the store's walking surfaces, but employees also "continually" check their departments for items or debris that would present a hazard to patrons.
Unable to demonstrate that the store created the condition or had prior notice of its existence, Dragotta's lawsuit slipped into oblivion.
For a copy of the Appellate Division's decision, please use this link: Dragotta v. Walmart, Inc.