The following story shows that slip and falls can happen to anyone, anywhere. Our source article is about Eugenie Bouchard, a former world #5 women’s tennis player whose career seemed destined to continue upward. After an amazing 2014 season, her 2015 season saw her plateau slightly. But it all came crashing down towards the end of the season after a mixed doubles event at the U.S. Open.
Bouchard was walking through a locker room to get to the physiotherapy area when she slipped and fell on a cleaning product. Bouchard suffered a concussion that required her to withdraw from all of the events that she was involved in at the U.S. Open. Her career has never been the same since then, as she has plummeted all the way down to #116 in the world. She suffered burns from the chemical nature of the cleaner, and the concussion wreaked havoc on her mental acuity.
Bouchard sued the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) for the incident, and it took years before the case was actually heard. Finally, this week, a jury determined that the USTA was mostly responsible for the slip and fall. Damages are still yet to be determined, but given the stakes of the case, it is likely the reward will be significant.
Slip and falls are awful incidents of negligence, and the individuals or groups responsible for them need to be held accountable for the life-changing harm they do to the victims.
Source: Deadspin, “Jury Finds USTA Liable For Eugenie Bouchard’s Slip And Fall In U.S. Open Locker Room,” Giri Nathan, Feb. 22, 2018