Substantial Settlement for Man Who Suffered Injuries from Faulty Wine Bottle from Ealing Supermarket

A man who sustained injuries involving a faulty wine bottle that he purchased from a supermarket in Ealing, London has received £10,000 in compensation.

Peter Anderson age 28 suffered injuries when his flatmate purchased two bottles of Rocca Piresca Italian wine from the Windmill Supermarket in Ealing in June 2006.

However, when he attempted to open the bottle with a corkscrew the neck of the bottle broke off.  The exposed bottle sliced through three of Mr. Anderson's fingers on his left hand which was so severe it resulted in hospital treatment.

Mr. Anderson received stitches to 3 fingers and had his hand splinted. During his recovery he underwent three months of physio and was forced to take time off work.  Mr. Anderson, an avid water skier and scuba diver, was also unable to return to the sports he loved for nine months following the accident.  The accident has also resulted in a 10% loss of power grip in his left hand.

Katrina Elsey, personal injury representative at national law firm Irwin Mitchell, who represented Mr Anderson said: "The wine bottle in question was purchased from the Windmill Supermarket in Ealing which was quite clearly of an unsatisfactory quality.  The wine bottle did not meet the standard that a reasonable person would regard as satisfactory and the neck of the bottle should not have come away from the bottle when Mr. Anderson was trying to open it in the ordinary manner.  The injuries he suffered could have been much worse.   Windmill Supermarket has eventually admitted liability and they have offered £10,000 compensation for the distress Mr Anderson has suffered."

Peter Anderson commented: "I have never had a wine bottle break off in my hand before. As I pulled the cork out, the neck of the bottle just came away from the rest of the bottle.  There was blood everywhere, it could have taken my fingers off.  I am just relieved that a settlement has now been offered and I can put the accident behind me and move on. Windmill Supermarket sold a product which was defective and caused injury to my hand, which I will never fully recover from. I just hope that suppliers are aware they can not get away with selling defective goods which endanger members of the public."