Auger unexpectedly falls from display, says suit against Lowe'e

An East Alton woman is suing a home improvement store where she says an auger fell from a display and hit her.

Carolyn J. Johnson filed the lawsuit on May 9 in Madison County Circuit Court against Lowe's Home Center and Tommy O'Brien.

Johnson says she was shopping at the Lowe's on East Homer Adams Parkway in Alton on Nov. 9, 2012. The customer says she was shopping for an auger, so a Lowe's employee attempted to remove one from a display stand to show Johnson.

According to the petition, "the auger, which was improperly secured, unexpectedly fell from the display stand striking the plaintiff and causing her to fall to the ground." Johnson says she suffered painful injuries to her knee and hip.

Johnson accuses the store and its manager, O'Brien, of negligence for allegedly failing to maintain a reasonably safe environment. She says both defendants failed to properly secure the augers and failed to train staff on how to avoid hazards to customers.

Johnson is asking to be paid more than $50,000 in damages for pain and suffering, disfigurement, loss of strength, loss of enjoyment of life and medical costs.

Attorney Keith Short of Edwardsville represents her.

Madison County Circuit Court Case No. 13-L-726