Pricesmart Offer Public Apology For Accident, Will Reach Out of Court Settlement

Pricesmart in Costa Rica says it will reach an out of court settlement with Zaida del Carpio López, the 74 year old woman who suffered severe injuries when a pallet fell on her while shopping at the Escazú membership store.


Store shelving after the accident

The announcement was made by Pricesmart Costa Rica VP, Manrique Ugalde, who spoke about the different options the parties are exploring to avoid a court trial.

The woman was injured when a wooden pallet fell from one of the racks the membership store uses to stock merchandise. The accident occurred last month and the latest report is that Zaida will be travelling to the United States for surgery.

Ugalde, at a press conference, explained that the store chain has already taken steps to prevent a repeat of the accident, which occurred when a heavy pallet was placed over a weak one.



The veep said that the shelving system has been inspected by both the Instituto Nacional de Seguros (national insurer) and the Ministerio de Salud (Health ministry), both endorsing the changes made after the accident with respect to the placement of merchandise and that the security protocols applied by the compan meet the requirements in the United States.

Asked why Pricesmart took more than a month for an public apology and an explanation of the accident, the veep of operations accepted the company is guilty of "inexperience". Ugalde said the company has never had such an accident and didn't see the need for a quick public response.