Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Elderly Couple Attacked Outside Giant Food Supermarket
A personal injury law firm in Washington, D.C., has filed a lawsuit on behalf of John Hopkins III and Claudia Hopkins, a couple in their eighties who were attacked outside a Giant Food supermarket at Cathedral Commons in northwest Washington, D.C. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, seeks to hold Giant Food LLC, Giant Landover Stores Inc.; Giant of DC Inc., Cathedral Commons Partners, Bozzuto Management Co. and their contracted security company accountable for allegedly failing to provide adequate security, which led to John and Claudia Hopkins sustaining serious injuries.
On Feb. 23, 2022, the couple was violently assaulted by an attacker who demanded money as they left the supermarket. Both were left badly injured. John Hopkins suffered a concussion, fractured facial bones and a broken tooth, requiring hospitalization for almost two weeks. Claudia Hopkins received a traumatic brain injury and remains bedridden in a nursing facility, unable to care for herself.
“This horrific event could and should have been prevented,” said Je Yon Jung, partner and lead attorney at Washington, D.C.-based May Jung Law, which brought the suit. “In addition to the permanent injuries Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins have suffered, the most permanent and long-lasting impact will be that their 50-year marriage will never be the same. It is unlikely that Mrs. Hopkins will ever recover, and Mr. Hopkins is left to fight alone on their behalf.”
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Added Jung: “People go to grocery stores like Giant every day to purchase food and necessities. We should be able to do so without facing harm. Giant Food and the property owners knew the risks yet failed to act, endangering their customers. Our clients deserve justice, and we will hold these corporations accountable.”
The Hopkins are seeking compensatory damages for their medical expenses, physical and emotional suffering, and loss of quality of life. The suit also seeks punitive damages, contending that the defendants’ “reckless disregard for safety” contributed to the occurrence and its aftermath.
When contacted by Progressive Grocer, a Giant Food spokesman acknowledged the lawsuit and provided the following statement: “Because of the active litigation, we won't be able to provide additional comments now. Our primary focus remains on serving our customers and communities with the commitment to service and integrity that Giant Food is known for. We appreciate your understanding as we navigate through this process.”
Based in Landover, Md., Giant Food operates 164 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia, with approximately 20,000 associates. Included within the 164 stores are 154 full-service pharmacies, more than 80 full-service PNC Banks and 28 Starbucks locations. Parent company Ahold Delhaize USA is No. 11 on The PG 100, PG’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the company one of its Retailers of the Century.
