Food 4 Less Hit With $5.34 Million Premises Liability Verdict

Dolores Marron v. Food 4 Less (Los Angeles County Super Court Case No. 22STCV08117):

On December 15, 2025, a Los Angeles County jury returned a verdict of $5,343,662 in favor of plaintiff Dolores Marron in a disputed premises liability action arising out of a trip-and-fall incident at a Food 4 Less grocery store in Los Angeles.

Plaintiff, 61 at the time of the incident, alleged that on March 19, 2020, she tripped over a pallet and cooler stack displayed on the sales floor and placed directly in front of a beer pallet display, which restricted access to merchandise. While attempting to retrieve a case of beer, plaintiff tripped over the pallet/cooler display and fell onto her rear end.

Plaintiff contended that the pallet and cooler display was unsafe and violated Food 4 Less’ own store safety policies regarding display height and floor obstructions. Evidence was presented that the company allegedly allowed a display to be set up at a height that posed a safety risk, and that the presence of the pallet display, which was contrary to store policy, played a significant role in causing plaintiff’s injuries.

Food 4 Less denied wrongdoing and disputed both negligence and causation. The defense argued that the display was not unreasonably dangerous and that plaintiff’s own actions caused her fall. Defendant further contended that plaintiff’s injuries were degenerative in nature and that she suffered, at most, a minor strain from the incident. The defense also asserted that there were no indications of trauma in radiological imaging and that plaintiff’s symptoms were attributable to degeneration rather than trauma.

Plaintiff alleged that as a result of the fall she sustained significant lumbar spine injuries requiring a two-level spinal fusion. She was later diagnosed with adjacent segment disease and will require years of future medical treatment.

The jury awarded total damages of $5,343,662, consisting of:

• Past medical expenses: $89,499
• Past loss of earnings: $124,154
• Future medical expenses: $1,175,510
• Future loss of earnings: $204,499
• Past non-economic damages: $625,000
• Future non-economic damages: $3,125,000

Plaintiff was represented by Bentley & More LLP and Hicks Law Firm PC. Defendant was represented by Wesierski & Zurek LLP.