Man Bitten By Snake At Viera Wal-Mart

Picking up a plant at your local Wal-Mart isn't supposed to be a dangerous experience.

However, it was for one local man who was bitten by a pigmy rattlesnake at a Viera Wal-Mart.
Now he's asking the company to warn other customers.

<snip>
He says he was reaching into a plant he was thinking of buying when a snake struck.

Page said, "I said ‘Oh my God. I've just been bit by a snake. I've been bit by a snake.’"
<snip>
Page's attorney says the snake bite at this Wal-Mart is not an isolated incident. In fact, an attorney cites seven different cases where snakes bit customers at different Wal-Mart's around the country. Five of those cases are from right here in Florida.

More at the link

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2007/2/22/man_bitten_by_snake_at_viera_walmart.html

I'm in North Florida, and we had the same thing happen here also. Baby rattlesnake in plants at WalMart.

Friend of mine got called for jury duty on that one---the guy that got bit sued WalMart. She couldn't serve on the jury, though. She had worked at a different store in town, knew both of the attorneys and knew the guy that got bit. I would've loved getting all of the juicy details of that trial.

FLMom said:

I'm in North Florida, and we had the same thing happen here also. Baby rattlesnake in plants at WalMart.

Friend of mine got called for jury duty on that one---the guy that got bit sued WalMart. She couldn't serve on the jury, though. She had worked at a different store in town, knew both of the attorneys and knew the guy that got bit. I would've loved getting all of the juicy details of that trial.

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Hmmmm, wondering how this suit came out - not like Walmart was being negligent. There are snakes all over Florida -

poco said:

Hmmm, wondering how this suit came out - not like Walmart was being negligent. There are snakes all over Florida -

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I agree poco and snakes like plants. I don't see anyway that they could show Walmart was negligent. This latest victim wants Walmart to post signs warning the customers of the danger. Well duh, :doh: I would think that anyone would consider the possibility of something living in the plant before sticking their hand in it. It would be no different then a plant on your patio in Florida. I use to have them living in my plants. Not pigmy rattlers that I'm aware of. I use to have to get a snake out of my pool on a weekly basis.

poco said:

Hmmmm, wondering how this suit came out - not like Walmart was being negligent. There are snakes all over Florida -

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That's how I feel, too. It's amazing that people call a lawyer before a doctor these days.

I forgot that there are snakes all over Florida. YUK! Need to know if the snake that bit this guy is a poisonous snake. There was nothing mentioned about that. Here in CA we have rattlers.........and boy are they poisonous!
I just do NOT like snakes. Even the baby rattler's here are very poisonous.
AND this poor guys finger won't even close. I'm not a 'suing' type of person but I'll tell you, I'd sure sue in this case.

xxxxxxxxxxxxooooooo
mama

:blowkiss: :blowkiss: :blowkiss: :blowkiss:

Here in Michigan it would never occur to me that there might be a snake, poisonous or not, in a plant at Walmart.

Love_Mama said:

I forgot that there are snakes all over Florida. YUK! Need to know if the snake that bit this guy is a poisonous snake. There was nothing mentioned about that. Here in CA we have rattlers.........and boy are they poisonous!
I just do NOT like snakes. Even the baby rattler here are very poisonous.
AND this poor guys finger won't even close. I'm not a 'suing' type of person but I'll tell you, I'd sure sue in this case.

xxxxxxxxxxxxooooooo
mama

:blowkiss: :blowkiss: :blowkiss: :blowkiss:

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"However, it was for one local man who was bitten by a pygmy rattlesnake at a Viera WalMart. "

Sorry, but I really disagree with suing in this case. The plants are outside, snakes live outside. I don't see what Walmart could possible do to prevent snakes from setting up homestead. Perhaps there is some type of snake repellent that could be used, not sure about that. I know that the black Indigo snakes are good to have around your house, supposedly they keep the poisonous snakes away.

Those plants are being brought in from plant nurseries all the time and could have them in them when they are delivered. This isn't the first time this has happened, so I don't understand someone sticking their hand down into a plant without looking. I buy plants all the time and don't go around sticking my hand down in them. I wouldn't be surprised if someone wouldn't bring in a home grown snake if they thought they could get a lot of money.

Can I sue the county if I get bit by a snake on public property?

OOOH! THIS was a challenge!

I had no idea how this turned out. Now I HAD to know.

Tallahassee Democrat archives:

SNAKEBITE IN STORE LEADS TO LAWSUIT
April 18, 1996 •• 175 words •• ID: 9604180025
A Tallahassee resident is suing Wal-Mart on West Tennessee Street after being bitten by a pygmy rattlesnake that lurked in one of the store's house plants last year. Charles Blount, 31, seeks an unspecified amount to cover his pain, suffering and lost wages. Blount was shopping at Wal-Mart on March 20, 1995, when he picked up a plant and the snake bit him on the right hand, the lawsuit, filed in Leon County Circuit Court on Tuesday, states. He claims that the store should


Using his name I went to the Leon County online records search and found the case:

http://cvweb.clerk.leon.fl.us/process.asp?template=summary&addQuery=real_case.case_id='38219868'


Then I went to the online official records:

http://image.clerk.leon.fl.us/official_records/download_document.asp?book=2120&page=01668&type=OR&subnet=


Just in case these links don't work, it looks like he lost the first trial, then filed an appeal, which he himself dismissed with prejudice. Looks like he didn't get squat.

What I thought was fascinating was the amount of items in the docket--wow!

http://cvweb.clerk.leon.fl.us/process.asp?template=dockets&addQuery=real_case.case_id='38219868'

What a process!! I've been through court stuff myself, but GEEZ.

Can ya tell I love sleuthing? :dance:

FLMom