CROCS lawsuit in escalator accident settled
The family of a 5-year-old boy whose foot was badly injured in an escalator accident at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has settled a lawsuit against Crocs, maker of the popular clogs.
At a hearing Friday, Senior U.S. District Court Judge J. Owen Forrester all but approved the financial settlement, details of which are confidential. The judge said he wanted clarification about one provision of the settlement before he approves it. Other parties in the settlement are escalator maker KONE Inc. and Atlanta Airlines Terminal Corp., which runs airport.
The suit was filed last year on behalf of the boy by Clark Meyer, whose wife, Belinda Skelton, is the executive producer of the “Neal Boortz Show.” In July 2008, their son was injured when his resin footwear began to melt when his shoe rubbed against a down escalator at the airport. One of the Crocs got caught in the moving escalator, causing serious injuries.
On Thursday, the boy, now 5, attended the settlement conference with his parents. After two surgeries and extensive physical therapy, the boy’s gait is almost back to normal, Robert Sneed, the family’s lawyer, told the judge.
As part of the structured settlement, the boy will begin receiving payments when he turns 18 for his pain and suffering.
“I’m happy with the outcome,” Sneed said after the hearing. “It allows the young child to move forward with his life.”
About the Author
Bill Rankin has been an AJC reporter for more than 30 years. His father, Jim Rankin, worked as an editor for the newspaper for 26 years, retiring in 1986. Bill has primarily covered the state’s court system, doing all he can do to keep the scales of justice on an even keel. Since 2015, he has been the host of the newspaper’s Breakdown podcast.
