Wal-Mart sued after customer trips on grate

A customer is suing after allegedly tripping over a grate at the Lufkin Wal-Mart store.

William Newt Courtney filed suit June 4 in Eastern District Court of Texas Lufkin Division against Wal-Mart Stores Inc. 

According to the complaint, Courtney was at the Lufkin Wal-Mart store on Nov. 17, 2012, shopping for 12-volt batteries. While the plaintiff was being led through the store, a Wal-Mart employee stepped on a loose grate which caught on Courtney's shoe and caused him to trip and fall, injuring his face, head, hip and back, the suit states.

The defendant is accused of failing to maintain its premises in a safe condition, allowing and/or causing a dangerous condition, failing to properly inspect the premises for the presence of dangerous conditions, failing to train employees to recognize and remedy dangerous conditions on the premises, failing to timely repair or replace the grate and failing to provide proper warnings of the presence of a dangerous condition.

Courtney is seeking damages, interest and cost in an amount to be determined by the court. He is represented by Lufkin attorney Kirk Mathis of Chandler, Mathis & Zively PC.

Eastern District Court of Texas Lufkin Division Case No. 9:14-cv-00079-RC This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed in Eastern District Court of Texas Lufkin Division. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt and it only represents one side of the story.