Jury Clears Walmart in Beatrice Negron Slip-and-Fall Case

Case Background

The case centered on a slip-and-fall accident that took place on February 17, 2019, in the parking lot of the Walmart store at 420 Buckland Hills Drive in Manchester, Connecticut. The Plaintiff, Beatrice Negron, claimed she had slipped on ice in the lot, which she said the store and its contractors failed to clear.

Her lawsuit named multiple Defendants: Walmart Real Estate Business Trust, Walmart Stores East, Walmart Inc., Wal-Mart Associates, the store manager Yetsenia Eshoo, and the snow removal contractor Birch Mountain Earthworks, LLC.

Negron alleged that all of them shared responsibility for maintaining a safe parking lot and had failed in that duty.

Cause

Negron argued that the icy condition was caused by negligence. She said Walmart and Birch Mountain failed to inspect, treat, or clear the lot, and also failed to warn customers. She described the icy patch as a dangerous condition that made the parking lot unsafe.

Injury

Negron listed a long list of physical injuries from her fall. These included:

A tear in her left shoulder labrum, bursitis, sprain, and impingement.
Aggravation of her back and spine condition.
Right hip strain and pain.
Sprains, contusions, and pain in both knees.
Sprain and contusion of her left wrist and pain in her thumb.

She claimed these injuries caused long-term pain, limited her ability to do daily activities, and required continuous medical care.

Damages

Negron sought damages above $15,000 for her medical expenses, future treatment, and pain and suffering.

Medical records showed she underwent extensive care: chiropractic treatment, orthopedic evaluations, physical therapy, imaging, surgery, and injections. She also submitted records of bills spanning several years.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

Plaintiff’s Claims

Negron claimed the Defendants failed in several ways:

Not properly clearing snow and ice.
Failing to spread salt or sand.
Allowing dangerous conditions to remain for too long.
Failing to put up barriers or warning signs.
Not training employees and not enforcing safety procedures.

She argued that Walmart, as the property owner, and Birch Mountain, as its contractor, had notice or should have had notice of the icy patch and did not act.

Defense claims

The Defendants denied all negligence. Walmart and Birch Mountain both filed answers denying control over the condition that caused Negron’s fall. They raised special defenses, claiming:

Negron was negligent herself because she did not keep a proper lookout.
Any hazard was open and obvious.

They also disputed the nature and extent of her injuries, arguing they were unrelated to the fall or exaggerated.

Legal Representation

Plaintiff(s): Beatrice Negron

· Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Brian M. Flood

· Counsel for Defendant(s): George C. Springer, Jr. | Michael D. Blumberg

· Experts for Defendant(s): Daniel N. Fish

Claims

The Plaintiff’s counsel told the jury that Walmart and its contractor had a duty to maintain a safe property, especially during winter. They stressed that Negron was lawfully on the property, and the ice patch was hidden and dangerous. They argued that Walmart had the resources and responsibility to keep its lots safe but failed to meet basic standards.

Defense

Defense counsel insisted Negron was either inattentive or careless. They said if there was ice, it was an open and obvious hazard any reasonable person could avoid. They also argued that snow removal had been handled with reasonable care and that Negron could not prove Walmart or Birch Mountain had notice of the condition.

Jury Verdict

After deliberations, the jury did not find that Negron had proven her fall was caused by ice in the Walmart parking lot. Because of that, they never moved forward to damages.

The jury issued verdicts in favor of both Walmart Stores East, LP and Birch Mountain Earthworks, LLC, clearing them of liability.

Court Documents

Complaint

Jury Verdict