$1.17 million verdict handed down in Piggly Wiggly injury case in east Alabama

PHENIX CITY, Ala. (WRBL) — The estate of a deceased Phenix City woman received a $1.17 million verdict on Wednesday for injuries she suffered in a 2018 incident inside a Piggly Wiggly grocery store. 

A Russell County Circuit Court jury found in favor of the estate of Muriel Battle against JTM Corporation doing business as Piggly Wiggly. 

Battle died three years ago. Her representatives say her death was not related to injuries suffered in the store incident, but she suffered from headaches and nightmares in the wake of the incident. 

Battle was injured in March 2018 as store employees at the Piggly Wiggly on U.S. Highway 280 attempted to corner a man suspected to stealing a pork chop that was concealed in his pants.  

Testimony showed Battle was in the checkout line as the suspect got in line behind her. He was boxed in by store employees and the suspect – who has since died – threw the 85-year-old Battle to the ground as he attempted to flee. 

JTM co-owner Keith Milligan responded to the verdict. 

“Unfortunately, it gets more and more difficult to run a family business in the current legal climate,” Milligan told WRBL when asked for reaction to the verdict. 

Battle was represented by Morgan & Morgan. The lawyers were Erby Fischer, Victoria Dye, Lindsay Hewitt and Jason Terry of the firm’s Birmingham office and Walker Garrett of the Columbus office. The case was tried before Judge David Johnson.