Dangerous packaging lands retailer in court

Along with her husband and daughter, Luz Maria Gonzalez went to Sam's Club to shop about 11:30 a.m. on a Saturday. While she was walking in the parking lot toward the store, she tripped and fell when her feet became tangled in an approximately 2-foot-long strip of white plastic rope that was lying on the pavement. Gonzalez said she did not see the thin plastic rope (which is used to tie or seal large merchandise boxes) that allegedly caused her injuries. She said similar ropes were always on the ground in the Sam's Club parking lot, usually caused by customers who unpack boxes before putting purchased merchandise in their cars. Purchase Bob Bruss reports online. Neither Gonzalez nor her husband immediately reported the accident to Sam's Club personnel. Later, she sued Wal-Mart Stores, owner of Sam's Club, for her injuries. Evidence showed Sam's Club contracted with a maintenance service to clean the parking lot every morning around 6 a.m. It usually took 60 to 90 minutes to empty t...