Trial Magazine
Verdicts & Settlements: Premises Liability
Improper Placement of Wooden Sign
January 2018Doreen Feltz, who was in her early 50s, was walking through the aisles of a HomeGoods home-furnishings store when a seven-foot wooden sign that was propped against a pillar fell over, hitting her shoulder and the base of her skull. Feltz suffered a cervical injury at C2-6, which necessitated surgery, and a concussion. The incident also caused her severe pain that will require an annual radiofrequency neurotomy injection procedure.
An administrative assistant earning $25 per hour, Feltz missed three months of work due to her injuries. Her medical expenses exceeded $19,200.
Feltz sued HomeGoods, alleging premises liability and negligence. She claimed that the sign should have been placed on a shelf or stacked horizontally on a table, not leaned against a pillar.
The jury awarded almost $540,300.
Citation: Feltz v. HomeGoods, No. 62-CV-2015-007308 (Minn. Dist. Ct. Ramsey Cnty. June 8, 2017).
Plaintiff counsel: Arlo Vande Vegte, Plymouth, Minn.; and Bradley Yanke, Stevens Point, Wis.
Plaintiff experts: Michele Klasinski, neurology, Stevens Point; Brian Rosenberg, pain medicine, Wausau, Wis.; and Greg Gravesen, accident reconstruction, St. Croix Falls, Wis.
