Sheila Wright-Edwards vs. Retail 101 LLC
Case Background
On December 16, 2019, Plaintiff Sheila Wright-Edwards filed a Premises Liability lawsuit in the Connecticut State, Superior Court of Waterbury Division (Case number: UWY-CV19-6052066-S). Judge Carletha Parkinson presided over the case.
Cause
On December 17, 2017, Sheila Wright-Edwards, while lawfully on the premises of Retail 101 LLC at 170 Pine Ridge Road, Beacon Falls, Connecticut, sustained serious injuries due to the negligence of the store’s management. Retail 101 LLC, a domestic limited liability company authorized to conduct business in Connecticut, owned, operated, and managed the premises. On that day, a metal easel, which was improperly secured, fell on Sheila Wright-Edwards without warning. Retail 101 LLC and its employees were responsible for maintaining a safe environment, including ensuring that metal easels were stable and secure for customers. However, the company failed to inspect, secure, or maintain the metal easels adequately. Despite being aware, or reasonably expected to be aware, of the potential hazard posed by the unstable easel, the defendant took no steps to remedy the situation or provide warnings to prevent harm to customers.
Injuries
Sheila Wright-Edwards sustained multiple painful injuries from the incident. The falling metal easel caused her to develop a hematoma on her left foot, along with persistent pain in both her left foot and toe. These injuries not only caused physical pain but also led to significant mental suffering. Her injuries may be permanent and severely impacted her ability to perform daily tasks, causing emotional distress and ongoing discomfort.
Damages
Sheila Wright-Edwards is seeking monetary damages to cover her medical treatments, the pain and suffering she endured, her inability to enjoy her usual activities, and her loss of earnings and earning capacity. She asserts that the company should be held accountable for the physical, emotional, and financial harm she experienced as a direct result of their negligence.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
Legal representation
- Plaintiff(s): Sheila Wright-Edwards
- Counsel for Plaintiff: Garrett M. Moore, Sr.
- Defendant(s):Retail 101 LLC
- Counsel for Defendants: Harrold St. Juste, Esq.
Claims
Sheila Wright-Edwards claims that Retail 101 LLC is directly responsible for her injuries. The company’s negligence in maintaining the safety of its premises created hazardous conditions leading to her accident. Management failed to properly inspect and secure the metal easel, despite knowing, or being expected to know, that it posed a risk to customers. Additionally, they did not implement appropriate safety procedures or train their employees to identify and prevent such dangers. By neglecting these duties, Retail 101 LLC exposed Sheila Wright-Edwards to a dangerous situation, resulting in her injuries.
The negligence was evident in several ways: failure to perform reasonable inspections, failure to secure the easel to prevent it from falling, failure to warn customers like Sheila Wright-Edwards of the danger, and lack of training or procedures for employees to detect and rectify the hazardous condition. As a direct result of these failures, Sheila Wright-Edwards suffered serious injuries while performing her lawful activities on the premises.
Defense
The defense, Retail 101 LLC, denied any negligence in response to Sheila Wright-Edwards’ claims. They argued that they lacked sufficient information to confirm several details of the plaintiff’s allegations. Specifically, they denied any responsibility for the incident and subsequent injuries. Furthermore, they claimed that Sheila Wright-Edwards’ own negligence significantly contributed to the accident. The defense argued that she failed to keep a proper lookout, did not pay attention to where she was stepping, and neglected to take reasonable care for her own safety, which was a substantial factor in causing her injuries.
Jury Verdict
The jury found Retail 101 LLC 100% liable for the injuries sustained by Sheila Wright-Edwards, determining that Wright-Edwards held no responsibility for the accident. The jury awarded her a total of $50,000 in damages, including $5,729.56 for economic damages and $44,270.44 for noneconomic damages in a Premises Liability lawsuit.
Court Documents:
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