Document text
3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Mail Tribune 100, Feb. 3, 1916 ... Critics pan Gov. Brown's minimum wage proposal at hearing ... Police ID missing teen who fell into ocean at Cape Kiwanda; video of rescue effort ... Mail Tribune 100, Feb. 3, 1916 ... Critics pan Gov. Brown's minimum wage proposal at hearing ... Police ID missing teen who fell into ocean at Cape Kiwanda; video of rescue effort ... LAWSUIT Woman sues for $8.3 million after plastic grocery bag tore She says improperly bagged wine bottle hit her foot By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Feb. 1, 2016 @ 11:05 am By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Feb. 1, 2016 @ 11:05 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> A woman is seeking nearly $8.3 million after she says a plastic bag at Albertsons in Central Point tore, causing a large bottle of wine to crash onto her right foot and ankle. Jewel Strite's lawsuit against Albertsons and its Central Point store director is pending in Jackson County Circuit Court, with hearings over testimony and evidence continuing this month. A trial date hasn't been set. Albertsons is arguing Strite is to blame for her injuries, saying she tore the bag when she lifted her groceries, failed to notice the tear and failed to properly handle her merchandise. Plastic bag manufacturer Hilex Poly Co. has been drawn into the lawsuit as a co-defendant after Albertsons also argued the Indiana-based company manufactured a defective plastic bag and misrepresented the load capacity of the bag. In her lawsuit, Strite said she was standing at the checkout counter in October 2012 while an employee bagged her groceries in plastic bags. Most of the items were double-bagged, but unbeknownst to Strite, the employee placed a 1.5 liter "magnum" bottle of Barefoot Chardonnay wine in a single plastic bag. Strike did not know the bag wasn't strong enough to bear the weight of the bottle. When she took the bag out of her grocery cart, the weight of the bottle ripped the bag, causing the bottle to fall through. The bottle shattered when it hit her foot and ankle, the lawsuit said. The lawsuit said Albertsons and its store director were at fault because the wine wasn't double-bagged, she wasn't offered an alternative way to carry the wine such as a paper bag or wine carrier and the checkout worker wasn't properly instructed on how to bag heavy items. Strite said in the lawsuit she suffered an incomplete fracture of an ankle bone, a cut and bruised ankle, and damage to the muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves and other soft tissue of her leg, ankle and foot. She said she required multiple spinal cord stimulator surgeries to treat complex regional pain syndrome and also had left shoulder pain from using a crutch. She is seeking noneconomic damages for pain and suffering of $4.2 million, plus nearly $4.1 million in economic damages from $74,048 in medical expenses plus expected future medical expenses, loss of earned income and other expenses. Staff reporter Vickie Aldous can be reached at 541-776-4486 or [email protected] . Follow her at www.twitter.com/Vickie Aldous . By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Feb. 1, 2016 @ 11:05 am » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501