An accountant wants more than £300,000 damages from Marks & Spencer after claiming he slipped on a grape during a shopping trip.
Alexander Martin-Sklan, 55, of Golders Green Road, Barnet, says he tore the tendon in his right leg in June 2004.
His High Court action is being contested by the retail giant.
Mr Martin-Sklan, who is representing himself at the London hearing, says a piece of squashed fruit was found on his right shoe after the fall and could have been picked up inside the shop, or in the store's car park.
The accident happened at his local Finchley Road branch as he left the store with his trolley to return to his car.
Mr Martin-Sklan says he suffered a ruptured quadricep tendon and "adverse psychological effects and depression" arising from the injury.
Opening his case in written submissions to the court, Mr Martin-Sklan said: "My claim is that I picked up the fruit somewhere on the company's premises."
The accountant went on to criticise the cleaning systems he says were in place at the store at the time.
Marks and Spencer PLC, represented by barrister James Aldridge, deny that they were negligent.
"It is true that, before you put your sandals on that afternoon, you didn't make a special examination of the soles? You cannot say that the piece of goo was not already on your sandals," said the barrister.
The hearing, expected to last for another day, continues.
Originally Posted by ez64
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