Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
82-Year-Old Sues Trader Joe's After Getting Hit By Can Of Tuna
By
Ben Yakas
Published Oct 21, 2012
Modified Oct 21, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Ben Yakas
Published Oct 21, 2012
Modified Oct 21, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
In what has to be the single most Upper West Side lawsuit in history, an 82-year-old grandmother is suing Trader Joe's after she was whacked in the head by a can of tuna. And for her trauma, she is seeking a mere $350,000 in damages. So much for Trader Joe's employees being too friendly.
Longtime customer Tatiana Strage claims in her lawsuit that she was shopping among the "screaming banshees" at the UWS 72nd Street location last February when the can fell from a high shelf and hit her on the bridge of the nose. She claims that two workers stood idly by while she bled and complained of head pain and dizziness. Eventually, they did hand her wipes and a Band-Aid, but it seems she expected something more—perhaps a few cheery inquiries regarding what she was up to that weekend, or if she'd seen that really cool documentary on the guys who competing for the world record in Donkey Kong.
Regardless, she feels their callousness warrants $350,000 in damages. Maybe she'll invoke a Seinfeldian Good Samaritan law...or maybe all she really wanted was the employees to apologize:
Tagged
grandmother
lawsuit
manhattan
Tatiana Strage
trader joe's
tuna
Upper West Side
uws
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
Why NYC restaurants are playing coy about sustainability
Though it has multiple benefits, the practice remains popular for one basic reason: it saves money.
By
Samantha Dady
Published Oct 26, 2026
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Food
Where are the cheapest drinks in NYC? A new report details the city's average prices.
The median price of a cocktail in the city is now $16, and $9 for a draft beer.
By
Hannah Frishberg
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
By
Robert Sietsema
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .