Target swaps law firms in trip and fall

Target has swapped Houston law firms in a trip-and-fall lawsuit filed against the company.

As previously reported, Mae Wood filed suit against Target Corp. on Sept. 1, 2011, in Jefferson County District Court, alleging the retailer owed her a duty to warn of or remedy holes in its parking lot.

On March 1 Target’s lawyer, attorney Troy Williams, formerly of the Houston law firm Hays, McConn, Rice & Pickering, filed an agreed motion to substitute law firms, court papers say.

Judge Milton Shuffield, 136th District Court, granted the motion that same day, replacing Williams’ old firm with his new one, Germer Gertz.

The petition states that on Dec. 22, 2009, Wood was outside the Beaumont Target when she stepped in a hole in the parking lot and fell.

She alleges Target negligently failed to warn shoppers of the dangers and inspect and maintain its parking lot.

The plaintiff is suing for alleged past and future medical expenses, mental anguish, pain, impairment, disfigurement and lost wages, plus all court costs.

Beaumont attorney Tom Oxford of Waldman Smallwood represents her.

Case No. D190-807