On a day when an Indian-origin beautician was awarded $90,000 in damages after she slipped on a grape in Coles, another man has sought damages from the supermarket giant, claiming a fall in the supermarket caused him ‘pain and stress’.
63-year-old Melbourne-based Rakesh Dhody claims that he slipped on the whole banana at Coles in April this year.
Fairfax Media has reported that Rakesh had his finger jammed after he fell upon stepping on a banana. He was had come to the Coles store in Tarneit near his home after visiting his sick wife in hospital.
"Various Coles staff and eye-witnesses approached me while I was in pain... and helped," says Rakesh.
Mr Dhody says his finger was fractured as a result of this incident.
Rakesh Dhody wants to take Coles to Court for the episode and wants $50,000 from them for "for the stress, pain, suffering and run-around."
Wesfarmers says they have done an internal investigation at the Tarneit store, and while refusing to admit liability have offered to pay Mr Dhody "any reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred as a direct result of this incident." A company spokeswoman said it was waiting for him to respond to the offer.
Rakesh has not responded yet because his medical expenses have been minimal as a pensioner.
He says he suffered "extreme" lack of sleep and went to a hospital hand therapy unit for six months.
"It is very genuine incident and claim, and I had sleepless nights for many weeks," adds Rakesh.
He says if the company does not pay him the demanded compensation, he will take it to court.
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