An Alabama man who said he tripped and broke his hip while buying a watermelon at a Walmart store has won a $7.5 million judgement in a lawsuit against the retail giant.

Henry Walker (no relation) was awarded the damages on Wednesday after a jury trial in Phenix City, Alabama.

Walker claimed that his foot became trapped in a pallet beneath the watermelons as he reached for one of the fruits at a Phenix City Walmart on June 25, 2015.

"We are disappointed in the verdict," Walmart spokesman Randy Hargrove said Thursday. "We appreciate the jury's service, however we believe that the damages awarded were excessive in light of the facts in this case. We plan to appeal."

Walker's attorney, Charles Gower, said that Walmart should have covered the pallet so that it could not entangle a shopper's foot.

In court records, Walmart has maintained that the display was not dangerous, and that any negligence was Walker's fault. In fact, the same displays are still being used in their stores.

 

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