A woman has filed a lawsuit against a major home improvement retailer, alleging negligence that led to serious injuries. Laurie Simmons filed the complaint in Harris County District Court on September 4, 2024, naming Home Depot U.S.A., Inc. and Home Depot International, Inc. as defendants.
According to the court documents, the incident occurred on the evening of September 12, 2022, when Simmons visited a Home Depot store located at 14085 Northwest Freeway in Houston, Texas. As she approached the store entrance, she tripped over an unmarked wooden beam fixed to the floor and suffered significant bodily injuries. "There were no markings or warning signs providing notice of the hazardous wooden obstacle on the floor," Simmons stated in her complaint. She contends that Home Depot was aware or should have been aware of this dangerous condition but failed to take appropriate action to rectify it or warn customers.
Simmons claims that at the time of her fall, she was an invitee on the property and that Home Depot had a duty to ensure her safety. The complaint details several alleged failures by Home Depot: failing to maintain safe pathways, not warning about the dangerous wooden obstacle, permitting hazardous conditions to persist, and failing to properly train and supervise employees responsible for maintaining the premises. These actions or omissions are said to have directly caused Simmons' injuries.
The plaintiff is seeking monetary relief between $1 million and $10 million for various damages including past and future medical expenses, physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, physical disfigurement, and loss of earning capacity. "Defendants’ failure to exercise reasonable care proximately caused the occurrence in question and resulting damages," asserts Simmons' legal team.
Representing Laurie Simmons are attorneys Harrison M. Nguyen from Nguyen & Associates Law Firm PLLC and Edward Festeryga from Edward Festeryga PLLC. The case has been assigned Case ID 2024-59402 in Harris County's 334th Judicial District Court.