HOUSTON — A Grocers Supply worker alleges the company knew of the defective forklifts at its Bellaire facility prior to her suffering injuries after an equipment malfunction.
Tammila Mitchell filed a complaint Aug. 24 in Harris County District Court against GSC Wholesale LLC doing business as Grocers Supply and the Grocers Supply Produce Co., LLC alleging negligence.
According to her complaint Mitchell was working at the defendant's Bellaire location on Nov. 16, 2020. She alleges that the "mini-forklifts" used at the facility were "faulty or problematic" and had "yellow stickers on them" to indicate the equipment was malfunctioning or required repair.
Mitchell claims that as she used one of the "deficient" forklifts to move a pallet, it malfunctioned and suddenly thrusted forward which caused her to become stuck between "the picking racks and the steering column" of the forklift. She further claims as a result of the accident, she suffered a deep laceration to her thumb and other injuries.
Mitchell alleges the defendants did not provide proper and working equipment for her to perform her job, failed to use a "spotter" or other safety measures in place and failed to warn of the hazard.
Mitchell seeks monetary relief between $250,000 and $1 million, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. She is represented by Anthony Buzbee of The Buzbee Law Firm in Houston.
Harris County District Court case number 2021-53181