The Costco department store brand has been sued after an accident at one of its US stores. The plaintiff suffered a blow to the head after being hit by a liquor cabinet. Has caused him serious personal injury, for which he seeks compensation of $14 million. Costco seems to have forgotten to guarantee the safety of its consumers. This civil law suit is due on September 4 of this year. Until then, the victim will have to wait and deal with the consequences of the accident.
Costco
It is a chain of department stores that opened its doors for the first time in 1983, by James Sinegal and Jeffrey Brotman. Its headquarters is in Washington, but it has 897 locations around the world. It managed to expand and now has a presence in countries such as Japan, the UK, China, Spain, France and Sweden among many others. Its catalog is endless, from food products, beverage, household appliances, tires, home products, furniture, among others. It is one of the most chosen stores by citizens for the convenience of finding all products in the same store.
Costco incident
An accident occurred at the Costco facility in Santa Rosa, California on March 22. A client suffered as a heavy glass case collapsed on her head. This blow has caused him serious injuries that are affecting him permanently. The main character, Sadie Novotny, has filed a complaint for negligence to the large chain, since it was an alcohol display case that was not well-secured.
Lawyer Claude Armand Wyle, has taken the reins of the case and has positioned himself with Novotny. According to the legal representative, doctors diagnosed a concussion. He suffered a head injury. We do not yet know the full severity of the injury”. The medical diagnosis indicates that he has suffered a traumatic brain injury that is causing severe and constant headaches and loss of vision.
Multi-million dollar lawsuit
The amount demanded of the company is 8 figures, no more and no less than $14 million. The plaintiff and her lawyer have broken down the figure according to the damage caused. They ask for $9 million for physical injury and suffering and $5 million for emotional damage. She also asks the company to pay for past and future expenses that have entailed her visits to the doctor, and finally, $2 million to compensate for lost income. It seems like Costco might be in trouble.
What happened exactly?
The application includes the testimony of the victim, as well as medical reports that demonstrate the severity of the injuries. As Novotny says, the display was not even attached to the wall, but resting on a worn-out wooden pole. The report shows that the company not only failed to review the structure, but also failed to warn customers of the danger. Wyle requested the security tapes from Costco, which refused to hand them over unless there was a court order. Given the impossibility of completing the investigation, counsel stated “That meant he had to file a claim. He could not investigate more without going through the courts.”
What now?
Three months have passed since the incident, and Novotny has yet to receive a response. His case is in the Federal Court of San Francisco, which has set a hearing date for next September 4, 2025. Until then, the plaintiff has no choice but to wait, and continue collecting evidence and information to attach to the case, hoping to get a positive response from the law, and that Costco will be held responsible for what happened. What about you? Have you ever experienced something similar?
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