Michael's shopper seeks damages over falling mirrors

A St. Clair County shopper claims she was injured when mirrors fell off a Michael's display when she attempted to put a product back on its rack.

Linda Spradling of O’Fallon filed a complaint on May 5 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Michaels Stores Inc., alleging it has liability in a November 2013 injury.

The suit states that the company’s Shiloh store kept the mirrors displayed on a rack elevated higher than 5 feet from the floor.

Spradling claims that when she was shopping in the retailer’s Shiloh store on or about Nov. 21, 2013, she attempted to replace one of the mirrors after checking the price on its back surface, each of the remaining mirrors on the rack slid off the display and struck her on the bridge of her nose.

The suit states that the defendant failed to prevent an inherently dangerous condition by displaying heavy objects at head level; placing price tags on the back so as to prompt customers to move the objects in search of the price; and failing to install a device to keep the mirrors in place.

Claiming severe and permanent injuries to her nose and face and citing past and future physical pain and suffering, mental anguish and medical expenses, Spradling requests damages in an amount between $50,000 and $75,000, plus attorneys’ fees and costs.

She is represented by Chet Kelly of Foley & Kelly in Belleville.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-268