Bergen Woman Gets $904K After Fall At BJ's Wholesale Club

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – A North Arlington woman who filed a lawsuit against BJ’s Wholesale Club after slipping and falling on water at the chain’s East Rutherford store was awarded $904,000 by a jury.

Norma Gaguancela, 64, sued the company in June 2016 after she sustained knee, hip and spinal injuries when she fell at the store during a shopping trip, according to the complaint.

In the lawsuit, Gaguancela claimed the July 9, 2014 incident caused her to “suffer great pain,” required her “to expend large sums of money for the cure and treatment of her injuries” and prevented her to be “unable to pursue normal daily activities as before.”

The floor was reportedly wet after a pipe burst in the store.

Gaguancela was initially awarded $1 million but a jury reduced the sum after finding she was 15% negligent. BJ’s Wholesale Club was 65% negligent and the store’s manager was 20% at fault, according to a copy of the Oct, 29 settlement.

She was awarded $175,000 for pain and suffering, disability, impairment and loss of enjoyment of life, $230,000 for past medical expenses, $200,000 for future medical expenses, $65,000 for past lost wages and benefits, and $225,000 for loss of household/family, housekeeping and home management services, according to the settlement.

An additional $54,090.04 in prejudgment interest was added to the net award of $850,000 resulting in a total of $904,090.04, according to an order of judgment dated Nov. 5.