WWII Veteran Trapped in Own Garage for Days After Fall at Store
Posted on May 28, 2013 11:13am PDT
On the morning of April 30, 2013, a 90-year-old World War II veteran became
trapped in his car inside of his own garage, and was not found until a
neighbor happened to hear his cries for help four days later. Jay A. fell
while shopping for groceries at a Pasco County Publix store, injuring
his wrist. The Publix store had the man sign paperwork about the fall
and employees helped Jay A. into his car and loaded his groceries, but
he was allowed to drive himself home without first being checked by a
medical professional. After driving home and backing his vehicle into
his garage, Jay A. found that he could not open his door because of his
wrist injury.
Victim Stranded Due To Improper Procedure
Trapped in his own car, Jay A. tried to attract the attention of his neighbors
by using the remote to repeatedly open and close the garage door. Unfortunately,
this smart attempt to obtain help did not work, as no one saw the door
going up and down. Jay A. ate the snacks he had purchased that ate the
store and placed a cookie on the dashboard each day to keep track of how
long he had been trapped. It wasn't until his neighbor Tim W. walked
by his home on May 3 that Jay A. was finally rescued. The neighbor noticed
that the garage door was partially down, saw a hand come out the driver's
side window, and heard Jay A. call for help. The WWII veteran is recovering
at a local hospital, and though he is still in pain, Jay A. is in good spirits.
According to friends of the victim, Jay A. was shopping at the Publix store
when he tripped and fell. He tried to stop his fall by grabbing onto a
nearby shelf, but the structure gave way. Store employees had the man
fill out paperwork regarding the accident, but medical attention was never
called to the scene. A spokesman for Publix said that they have launched
an internal investigation into the incident and what happened to the victim.
If you were injured in a
slip and fall accident at a store or other property, you may have grounds to seek compensation.
Our team at Smith & Stallworth, Attorneys at Law is experienced in
all types of
personal injury and
premises liability cases in the Tampa area, and we can help you pursue a fair settlement.
Contact us today to discuss your case!