Portner and Bond
Family Dollar Stores has added two local attorneys to litigation brought by Doris Hickerson, who claims cases of soda tumbled down and struck her while she was checking out.
As previously reported, Hickerson filed her suit against the company and manager Winnie Douglas on Oct. 20 in Jefferson County District Court.
On April 18, Family Dollar filed a motion to enroll addition counsel, seeking to designate Chris Portner and Trent Bond of Portner Bond as co-counsel along with Zach Mayer of the Houston law firm Kane Russell Coleman & Logan.
That same day, Judge Milton Shuffield, 136th District Court, granted the motion, court records show.
The lawsuit states that on June 25, 2010, Hickerson, "a 72 year-old grandmother," was shopping at the Family Dollar, "as was her custom," on Memorial Boulevard in Port Arthur.
As she was standing in line to checkout, Douglas knocked over several cases of soda she was stacking, causing them to crash down on Douglas.
The suit claims the defendants failed to maintain the store in a safe manner and warn shoppers of the dangers.
Hickerson is suing for her alleged past and future medical expenses, mental anguish, pain, impairment, disfigurement and lost wages, plus all court costs.
Houston attorney Mickey Washington of Washington & Ernster represents her.
Case No. D191-224