Products Liability Law Reporter

Heather Anthony, 29, was taking a shower in a condominium she rented from Denise Gilbert. When Anthony closed the glass shower door enclosure, it shattered, causing shards of glass to cut her foot. She required two surgeries to reattach a severed tendon in her right foot and now suffers from limited mobility and balance issues.

Anthony filed suit against Nexus Builders Inc., which built the condominium, and Larry Methvin Installations Inc., which constructed and installed the shower enclosure, alleging strict liability for the enclosure’s design and manufacturing defects. The plaintiff claimed that Larry Methvin had used glass that was not correctly tempered, which caused the glass to break into large pieces. Suit also alleged that Larry Methvin had installed a shower door handle that lacked two of three safety cushions, allowing the glass enclosure to contact metal when Anthony closed it. The plaintiff also claimed that Nexus Builders had failed to oversee and inspect the shower enclosure’s installation.

Finally, the plaintiff asserted that Gilbert and the homeowners’ association were liable for her injuries.

The plaintiff did not claim lost income or medical expenses.

The jury awarded $800,000, and the parties later settled the case for that amount.

Citation: Anthony v. Gilbert, No. PSC1703444 (Cal. Super. Ct. Riverside Cty. Sept. 2019).

Plaintiff counsel: Justin Strassburg, William Gilmore, and Adam Lugo, all of Pasadena, Calif.