Martha Short, 83, died August 29 after an accident involving her shopping cart and an escalator at a Nashville grocery store.
According to police reports, Short mistook a pedestrian escalator for a shopping cart-accessible escalator as she attempted to go from the Harris Teeter store down to the parking garage. When the cart rolled forward, it caused Short to fall down the escalator. She was taken to the hospital where she died from her injuries.
Harris Teeter released a statement, saying:
“Harris Teeter deeply regrets the incident that took place at its Belle Meade store and would like to express its condolences to family and friends also affected. We work very hard to maintain a safe store environment for both our customers and our associates, and the news of what happened today is extremely upsetting.”
Commenters from news stories about the slip and fall accident say that Short was a “lovely lady” and a “sweet woman.”
If the escalators were not clearly marked, Short’s family may have grounds to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Stores are responsible for ensuring the safety of their customers, and multiple escalators can confuse some shoppers.
We are very saddened by this tragic accident. If you know someone who suffered fatal injuries on someone else’s property, please contact us by phone at (615) 866-3938 or by filling out a contact form. Use our free consultations to learn about your options.
“For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” – Romans 14:8