Injury to Illinois Shopper When Employee Knocks Merchandise Off the Shelf Results in $150,000 Jury Verdict

Patricia DeBoo, 61, was shopping at Menard’s when she was struck in the head by a bathroom vanity that was inadvertently pushed off a high shelf by a Menard’s employee. The worker was operating a forklift in an adjacent aisle and attempting to bring down some merchandise from the high storage shelf.

DeBoo alleged in her lawsuit that she suffered a cervical end-plate fracture3 at C-6, right sternoclavicular injury at L4-5, facet arthropathy and sacroiliac joint injury, which resulted in more than $44,000 in medical bills.

The defendant admitted liability, but argued at trial that only the spinal fracture and sternoclavicular injury were related to this incident. The defendant maintained that the low back injury was not related to this accident.

The jury returned a verdict of $150,000 made up of the following damages:

• $75,000 for pain and suffering;
• $60,000 for loss of normal life; and
• $15,000 for medical expenses.

The attorneys representing Patricia were Richard L. Turner, Jr. and Alice Henrikson. The demand before trial was $385,000. The defendant, Menard Inc., offered $30,000 to settle the case prior to the beginning of the trial.

Patricia DeBoo v. Menard, Inc., No. 10 L 11 (DeKalb County, Ill.).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling injury cases for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 38 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Blue Island, Calumet Park, Riverdale, Calumet City, Harvey, Midlothian, Palos Park, Palos Hills, Hickory Hills, Bedford Park, Elmwood Park, Melrose Park, Maywood, Schaumburg, Schiller Park, Elmhurst, Oakbrook Terrace, Winnetka, Deerfield, Highwood, Frankfurt, Palatine, Buffalo Grove, Rolling Meadows and Wood Dale, Ill.

Related blog posts:

$1.2 Million Jury Verdict Where Truck Causes Five Car Chain Reaction Crash

$133,121 Jury Verdict in T-Bone Crash; Plaintiff Claims Neck, Back Injuries and Shoulder Dislocation

$10,000 Cook County Jury Verdict in Intersection Crash Causing Aggravation of Herniated Disc