Last July, the Southeast Texas Record reported on a suit claiming unsanitary conditions at an area nail salon caused a local woman's feet to become seriously infected.
On Monday the case went trial in Judge Bob Wortham's 58th District Court.
Plaintiff Erika Arceneaux claims a dirty foot tub at Nina Nails, owned by defendant Tina Tran, lead to a case of cellulites, which is a fatty lump beneath the skin.
During the jury selection process, plaintiff's attorney Langston Adams questioned jurors on their knowledge concerning non-economic and economic damages, asking a variety of people if they would award damages to someone who suffered a broken arm in a car wreck.
"If the facts in this case indicate the plaintiff suffered pain ... I promise you can't go back in time and wipe away the pain," Langston said. "So, how do you make a person whole then? You (the jury) determine what (money) amount is reasonable ... for pain and mental anguish."
Arceneaux alleges she suffered pain and mental anguish because the tub in which she soaked her feet and the tools used at Nina Nails had not been properly disinfected, causing her feet to become infected, court papers say.
Court papers show Arceneaux visited the salon on Sept. 29, 2008, for the purposes of receiving a pedicure. Once there, she sat in a spa chair and soaked her feet.
"Plaintiff later discovered that neither the tub not the tools used had been properly disinfected," the suit states. "Plaintiff's toes became seriously infected as a result of the pedicure ... and plaintiff was diagnosed with cellulites by her physician."
Jurors must decide whether the nail salon negligently failed to disinfect its tools.
Arceneaux is asking jurors to award her damages for her medical expenses, pain and mental anguish.
Tran is represented by Beaumont attorney Richard Hatfield.
Case No. A184-356