BELLEVILLE – A Valvoline customer alleged slipped and fell twice while attempting to exit his vehicle in the service bay.
Plaintiff Jennifer Miller, the surviving spouse acting as independent administrator of the estate of Larry Miller, filed the lawsuit in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against Valvoline, LLC, Chris Hood, Adam Devore, and Kyle Ziegel, citing negligence.
According to the lawsuit, Larry Miller brought his vehicle in for service at a Valvoline Instant Oil Change location in Belleville on Feb. 12, 2021. Miller parked his vehicle in the service bay at the facility and was instructed by Hood, a Valvoline employee, to wait in the lobby. As he was exiting his vehicle to enter the lobby, Miller allegedly slipped on liquid and fell to the ground. A Valvoline employee allegedly tried to help Miller to his feet, but he fell to the ground a second time. Ziegel was the manager and Devore was the assistant manager on duty at the time.
The lawsuit states that the defendants negligently failed in their duty to properly maintain the premises to protect the safety of visitors and negligently failed to warn Miller of the the dangerous conditions in the service bay.
Jennifer Miller states that Larry Miller sustained injuries that caused him to experience pain, suffering, disability and disfigurement. She adds that he had incurred medical expenses because of his injuries.
Miller passed away on July 6, 2021. The lawsuit states that he would have been entitled to seek damages from the defendants had he survived and that his estate was diminished by medical expenses from the incident.
The plaintiff is seeking damages in excess of $50,000, plus court costs and any other relief the court deems proper. She is represented in this case by attorney Steven E. Katzman of Katzman & Sudgen, LLC in Belleville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 23LA0130