BELLEVILLE – A St. Clair County woman is suing Wal-Mart, alleging negligence for injuries she says she suffered when she tripped over a floor mat inside the defendant's O'Fallon store.
Angela Woodard filed the suit Feb. 8 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Wal-Mart Stores Inc., alleging premises liability and negligence.
According to the complaint, on Sept. 3, 2014, Woodard was inside the defendant's store at 1530 W. Highway 50 in O'Fallon. She claims there was a raised and unbeveled floor mat near the main entrance in front of an ice machine. The mat, the lawsuit says, constituted a dangerous condition that presented an unreasonable risk of harm to the plaintiff. As a result, she alleges she tripped and fell on the floor mat.
The lawsuit states Wal-Mart failed to make a reasonable inspection of the premises, failed to properly maintain the floor mat, failed to warn Woodard of the condition of the floor mat, allowed the mat to remain in a dangerous state and failed to inspect the premises to avoid such a situation.
As a result of her fall, the plaintiff alleges she hurt her hip, ankle, shoulder, lower back and knee, has endured pain and suffering, and continues to pay medical bills to treat her injuries.
Woodard seeks between $50,000 and $75,000, plus court costs. She is represented by attorneys Michael P. Glisson and Timothy J. Chartrand of Williamson, Webster, Falb & Glisson in Alton.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 16-L-76