A customer has filed a lawsuit against a major home improvement retailer following a serious injury sustained in one of its stores. Valerie Clark filed the complaint against Lowe’s Companies, Inc. in the Harris County District Court on August 22, 2024.
The case centers around an incident that occurred on December 13, 2022, when Clark was shopping at a Lowe’s store located at 7355 FM 1960 Road East in Humble, Texas. According to the complaint, while standing inside the store, a door frame that had been stored nearby in an unsafe manner suddenly fell on her. The plaintiff alleges that Lowe’s knew or should have known about the dangerous condition but failed to take any corrective measures or provide adequate warnings to customers. As a result of this negligence, Clark claims she suffered serious bodily injuries including a traumatic brain injury and damage to her cervical spine.
Clark's petition outlines several accusations against Lowe’s under premises liability law. She asserts that as a customer (invitee), she was owed a duty of ordinary care by Lowe’s to maintain a safe environment. The lawsuit details multiple breaches of this duty by Lowe’s, including failing to inspect for dangerous conditions like the door frame, not removing or making safe any hazards, and neglecting to warn customers about potential dangers. Additionally, it is alleged that Lowe’s did not develop or enforce proper safety protocols for inspecting and addressing hazardous conditions within the store.
The plaintiff is seeking various forms of relief from the court. This includes actual damages exceeding $1 million for past and future lost wages, medical expenses, pain and suffering, mental anguish, impairment, disfigurement, loss of household services, attorney's fees and expenses, as well as punitive damages due to what she describes as gross negligence by Lowe’s.
Representing Valerie Clark are attorneys Niles Sneed (State Bar No. 24105043), Brit Mitchell (State Bar No. 24098907), and Emily Faber Vechan (State Bar No. 24087488) from Sneed|Mitchell LLP based in Houston. The case has been assigned Case ID: 2024-55770 and will be heard in the 125th Judicial District Court of Harris County with Judge Marilyn Burgess presiding.