A Houston woman has filed a lawsuit against three major retail chains after suffering serious injuries from falling boxes in one of their stores. Thelma Leticia Cantu Gonzalez lodged the complaint on July 16, 2024, in Harris County District Court against Ross Stores, Inc., Ross Dress for Less, Inc., and DD’s Discounts.
According to the filing, Gonzalez was shopping at a DD’s Discounts location at 435 Uvalde Road in Houston on July 20, 2022, when heavy boxes fell from a top shelf and struck her head. The incident resulted in severe bodily injuries for which she is seeking substantial compensation. The lawsuit alleges that there were no warning signs about the hazardous condition of the shelves and that the defendants were either aware or should have been aware of the potential danger but failed to take appropriate measures to secure the boxes or warn customers.
The plaintiff contends that as an invitee on the property—owned, controlled, and managed by the defendants—she was owed a duty of care to ensure her safety. "Defendants failed to maintain the Property in a reasonably safe condition," states the complaint. It further claims that this failure included not only securing the shelves and boxes but also adequately training and supervising employees responsible for store maintenance.
Gonzalez's legal team argues that several acts of negligence led to her injuries. These include failing to maintain pedestrian pathways safely, neglecting to warn about dangerous conditions, allowing aisles and shelves to remain hazardous, and failing to inspect these areas properly. Additionally, they claim that inadequate employee supervision contributed significantly to the unsafe environment.
The lawsuit seeks monetary relief exceeding $1 million but not more than $10 million. This amount covers past and future medical expenses, physical pain and suffering, mental anguish both past and future, as well as other related damages. "Plaintiff demands a jury trial," states the petition, emphasizing Gonzalez's determination to seek justice through legal proceedings.
Representing Gonzalez are attorneys Harrison M. Nguyen and Lantz R. Clinton from Nguyen & Associates Law Firm PLLC. The case has been assigned Case ID 2024-44495 in Harris County District Court with Judge Adiliani Solis presiding over it.