Home improvement center sued after woman falls in store

A Jefferson County woman has filed suit against a lumber company, alleging she was seriously injured after she fell while on the company's premises.

Rose Maria Gray claims she was on the premises of Sutherland Lumber and Home Center at 4545 College in Beaumont on June 29, 2007, when she fell due to unsafe and dangerous conditions.

Because of her fall, Gray incurred medical expenses, suffered from bodily impairment, loss of earnings and loss of earning capacity and experienced physical pain and mental anguish, according to the complaint filed June 24 in Jefferson County District Court.

In addition to Sutherland Lumber and Home Center, other defendants named in the suit are Max Crawford, Sutherland Lumber-Southwest Inc., Sutherland West Texas Inc. and Sutherland Lumber Beaumont.

Gray blamed the defendants because she says they failed to warn her of the dangerous condition on the premises, maintained an area that was unsafe, failed to give adequate warnings to Gray, failed to properly inspect the area and failed to maintain distractions that diverted Gray's attention from the dangerous condition.

Gray is seeking exemplary damages, plus pre- and post-judgment interest, costs and other relief the court deems just.

She is represented by Stephen N. Williams of The Williams Firm in Beaumont.

The case has been assigned to Judge Donald Floyd, 172nd District Court.

Jefferson County District Court case number: E184-357.