22-ounce beer bottle injury and gun shot wound to the leg prompts cashier to sue

A cashier at the N&S Market in Granite City filed a personal injury suit against his employer in Madison County Circuit Court Oct. 19, alleging he sustained injuries when a patron assaulted him.

Ali Mohsen alleges N&S had a duty to provide him reasonably safe and secure premises, however a patron in the store on Sept. 28, 2006, struck him in the face with a 22-ounce beer bottle and shot him in the right leg.

According to Mohsen, N&S had no worker compensation insurance and also had notice of the "reasonable foreseeability" of the types of criminal acts perpetrated against him because the owner has knowledge of criminal acts occurring adjacent to the store including violent crime, theft, assault and drug and gang activity.

He claims N&S failed to provide a safe and secure premise for employees and customers, failed to provide a cashier counter of sufficient height and width as to maintain a safe distance between the cashier and patrons and failed to provide a cashier counter with a glass partition to prevent unwanted physical contact between cashier and patrons.

Mohsen further claims the store failed to have security personnel on the premises, negligently failed to have adequate security equipment, failed to post warnings inside and outside the building to deter crimes being perpetrated on the premises and failed to train employees how to respond to emergencies and violent attacks.

Mohsen claims as a result of the store's negligence he became the victim of a violent crime where he suffered severe physical injuries, lost wages, became liable for medical expenses and has become hindered in attending to his usual duties and affairs.

Represented by Peter Blasi of Granite City, Mohsen is seeking damages in excess of $50,000, plus costs of the suit.

07 L 909