Arabic version: قضية انزلاق في ماكدونالدز بكانبيرا تنتهي بمنح تعويضات

According to ABC News, a man who slipped near a wet-floor warning sign at a McDonald’s restaurant in Mitchell, Canberra, has been awarded compensation after seeking more than $2 million in damages. The ACT Supreme Court found the restaurant’s franchisee had breached its duty of care, while also ruling the man had failed to take reasonable care for his own safety.

The incident occurred in February 2021. Court material said the man passed a wet-floor sign, slipped but did not fall, steadied himself on the sign and immediately clutched his hip. CCTV footage described in the judgment showed his left leg sliding towards his right foot before he placed his weight on the sign, then tried to regain his balance and later limped with his hand on his hip.

Justice David Mossop found that a warning sign which had been centrally placed near a worker mopping the floor had been moved to the side by the time the man approached, making it less prominent. The judge said the mopped area extended about 50 centimetres beyond the warning sign in the direction from which the man approached, and that this would not necessarily have been obvious.

However, Justice Mossop said the man had opportunities to notice both the warning sign and the cleaner, and was looking at his wallet, which also contained his mobile phone, or to the side. The judge assessed him as contributorily negligent and reduced damages by 33 per cent. The court awarded $20,000 in damages, deducting $7,260 for the man’s own liability. The parties are due to meet later in September to argue over costs.