Would You Sue For a Busted Stiletto and a Broken Ankle?

July 9, 2008

Four years after Sophie King's broken stiletto caused her to break an ankle and undergo an operation on her leg, she was awarded £7,200 by the shoe company that admitted its liability in a British court yesterday. It was the first time Sophie had worn the £35 heels and her lawyer said the case could have gone differently if the shoes were six-months old. He also stated, "If they have just bought the shoes and the shop admits liability they could and should take it up."

He thinks if the case is in the bag a consumer has no reason not to pursue a lawsuit. Would you take a shoe company to court under these circumstances?

30 Comments

carhornsinapril 4 years 45 weeks

it's clearly a defective product if it broke the first time she wore it, and since the injury actually required surgery (!), i'd say that it's totally reasonable to sue.

hippiecowgirl 4 years 45 weeks

Looking at those shoes, I think anyone could see the potential for injury. If it was just "oops I stepped in a crack and fell" that resulted in surgery I think a lawsuit would seem frivolous. If something was wrong with the shoe (besides having a high heel), that's different in my opinion.

butterflies 4 years 45 weeks

if it caused me to have to go SURGERY, hell yeah i would! but if it's a stupid twisted ankle cos i was being a smart ass and got shoes way too high for myself to handle, then it's my own fault.

cubadog 4 years 45 weeks

That is insane. The problem was not necessarily the shoe but the person wearing it. I have been in the industry for 15 years it would be one thing if there was a huge number of the shoes breaking but that does not seem to be the case. I have found that broken heels are usually the result of not knowing how to walk properly in a heel. I am so sick of sue happy people.

itsme3683 4 years 45 weeks

35 pounds isn't that cheap of a shoe that it should break on the first day..

ninjastarlett 4 years 45 weeks

If they broke on the first wearing AND resulted in a broken ankle that required SURGERY, then yes, I'd say you definitely have a case.

MartiniLush 4 years 45 weeks

I hear you - those shoes had to be trashed, but I wore my 5-inchers out to dinner last night! :P

colormesticky 4 years 45 weeks

Depends. If she's morbidly obese, then she probably shouldn't be suing. You wouldn't believe the amount of force a big person puts on those little bitty heels.

Jude C 4 years 45 weeks

Bet you still wear heels sometimes, though! ;)I broke my arm slipping and falling in the rain thanks to a pair of heels once. The only thing that made me do was throw out that one specific pair!

Jude C 4 years 45 weeks

Bet you still wear heels sometimes, though! ;) I broke my arm slipping and falling in the rain thanks to a pair of heels once. The only thing that made me do was throw out that one specific pair!

MartiniLush 4 years 45 weeks

Ouch is right, but more so for my ego than anything! Some random guy walking past had to wrench my shoe from the grate! :oops: LOL!

Jude C 4 years 45 weeks

Ouch, MartiniLush!

Jude C 4 years 45 weeks

Ouch, MartiniLush!

Nyrina Windu 4 years 45 weeks

She wore those things at her own risk. And I also agree, people are too sue happy these days.

MartiniLush 4 years 45 weeks

Jude - I actually damaged a tendon last year by getting my heel stuck in a grate when I was walking down the street! I was in an imobilizer boot for several weeks, it was so embarrassing!

Jude C 4 years 45 weeks

I almost always wear heels, and the danger of that is that I'm clumsy anyway, and they always get stuck in grates and stuff :blush:

Martini Rossi 4 years 45 weeks

hmmm, funny.This morning I decided to wear heels ( about 3inches) to work for the first time in a very LONG time. While on my way to the train station I tripped going UP some steps! My gym bag went flying and I almost lost a front tooth!The things we women go through sometimes. I think I'll stick to flats and wear heels when I have it.

Martini Rossi 4 years 45 weeks

hmmm, funny. This morning I decided to wear heels ( about 3inches) to work for the first time in a very LONG time. While on my way to the train station I tripped going UP some steps! My gym bag went flying and I almost lost a front tooth! The things we women go through sometimes. I think I'll stick to flats and wear heels when I have it.

chicagojlo 4 years 45 weeks

The key is to not buy cheap shoes to start with!

LadyAngel89 4 years 45 weeks

I would say it was silly as well had she worn them before. And this isn't just a sprained ankle either, she broke it. I would sue.

Jude C 4 years 45 weeks

Normally I'd say that's silly, since it's common sense that heels like that are going to be harder to walk in, but yeah--if they broke on the first wearing, that's another matter altogether.

karisaamy 4 years 45 weeks

I think the fact that the shoe broke on the first day she wore them is key here. I asume she wasn't hiking in the shoes and doing something normal in them. She has a reasonal lawsuit.

stephley 4 years 45 weeks

I think since the shoe broke on the first wearing there's a problem beyond the usual you're-crazy-to-wear-those-heels issue. This sounds like a defective shoe, so yeah I'd sue. But really, those heels cause me such excruciating pain within minutes of putting them on that it won't come up in my life.

MartiniLush 4 years 45 weeks

Wow, if I had known this...Shopaholichunny, think of all the $$ we have missed out on over the years with our sprained ankles - and I just though I was a bit clutzy! :P

MartiniLush 4 years 45 weeks

Wow, if I had known this... Shopaholichunny, think of all the $$ we have missed out on over the years with our sprained ankles - and I just though I was a bit clutzy! :P

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