Granite City Subway sued over woman's neck injury

A woman is blaming Subway for leaving a loose cover on top of its soda fountain, allegedly causing her to sustain neck injuries when she jerked her head away from the falling plastic cover.

Lauren Welch filed a lawsuit Nov. 19 in Madison County Circuit Court against Zulfi.

In her complaint, Welch alleges she was visiting a Granite City Subway, which is owned by Zulfi, on Feb. 10, 2011, when she attempted to retrieve a drink from the soda fountain.

“Plaintiff attempted to fill the cup she was given with the drink that she had purchased at the soda fountain, when a plastic cover that was meant to sit at the top of the machine came loose and fell striking plaintiff in the head and causing her to wrench her neck in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid having the plastic cover strike her head,” the suit states.

Because of the incident, Welch had to seek treatment from medical professionals, incurred medical costs and lost income, the complaint says.

Welch blames Zulfii for causing her injuries, saying the restaurant owner negligently failed to secure the plastic cover, failed to keep the restaurant safe and failed to warn of the loose cover.
Welch seeks a judgment of more than $50,000, plus costs and other relief the court deems just.

Christopher K. Geldmacher of Sauter and Sullivan in St. Louis will be representing her.


Madison County Circuit Court case number: 12-L-1899.