Shufersal to Pay Over $170,000 to Customer Injured in Store Slip

A customer who slipped and was injured in a Shufersal supermarket in Be'er Sheva in June 2018 will receive over 170,000 shekels (approximately $46,000 USD) in compensation. The Be'er Sheva Magistrate's Court ruled that the supermarket chain bears responsibility for the incident, reducing the payout by 5% due to contributory negligence on the customer's part.

The customer slipped on a substance, likely cleaning fluid or soap, on the store floor, resulting in an 11.8% disability to her hand. She filed a lawsuit in 2022, represented by attorneys Yoram Mazuz and Tal Mazuz.

Shufersal initially denied the incident occurred and argued the customer was negligent for walking in a cleaning area. The supermarket chain also sued its cleaning contractor, seeking to shift blame. However, the cleaning company, represented by attorney Rina Agulsky, contended its machines do not leave excess liquid and suggested the substance may have been spilled by another shopper. The cleaning company also cited a contract limiting its liability to direct actions or omissions.

Judge Yaron Golan accepted the customer's account, explicitly stating the cleaning company was not responsible. Consequently, Shufersal was assigned full liability, minus the 5% reduction. In addition to the customer's compensation, Shufersal was ordered to pay approximately 39,000 shekels in legal fees and court costs, plus 15,000 shekels in costs to the cleaning company.