Jury awards man $7.5M after being injured by Walmart watermelon display

PHENIX CITY, Ala. — An Alabama man has been awarded $7.5 million by a jury after he said he tripped and broke his hip while shopping for a watermelon at Walmart.

The verdict was rendered Wednesday in a Phenix City courtroom, The Associated Press reported. The jury awarded $2.5 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages.

Henry Walker, 61, sued Walmart for the 2015 incident in which he claimed the store was negligent for failing to cover a pallet beneath the watermelon display. His foot became tangled in the pallet, causing him to trip and break his hip, according to court documents.

Walmart officials insist that the watermelon displays are safe, and its stores continue to use the pre-packaged displays from producers.

Walmart plans on appealing the decision, The Associated Press reported.

Cox Media Group