Dolgencorp, LLC, d/b/a Dollar General v. Deborah Revette, [Ms. 1160361, Ala. Jan. 12, 2018] __ So. 3d __ (Ala. 2018)
The Supreme Court unanimously affirms a $1,725,000 verdict arising from a slip-and-fall at a Dollar General store in Mobile County. The jury found that Dollar General's inadequate inspection policies led to Ms. Revette's severe injuries. The evidence showed that while Dollar General stores are open 14 hours a day, Dollar General corporate policy only requires employees to devote 10 minutes each day to safety inspections. Those safety inspections are informal, undocumented, and not verified by a supervisor. Expert testimony comparing the method by which and how often the retailers in and around Mobile County conduct safety inspections made clear that Dollar General's informal policy of "visual safety checks" for 10 minutes each day was below the safety standard of care.
