A Wyoming woman who slipped on an icy sidewalk at the Family Dollar in Wheatland three years ago is now suing the store chain for more than half a million dollars.
Cherie Wilson in a federal court complaint filed Monday said that when she fell on the sidewalk in front of the store in December 2019, she incurred “personal injuries of physical and mental pain and anguish; permanent disability/disfigurement; lost income; loss of enjoyment of life,” and medical expenses that will extend into the future.
Wilson alleged that the fall was due to downspouts on the building dumping drainage water “directly” onto the sidewalk.
The Family Dollar store also had ignored “many warnings and prior injuries” caused by the ice, Wilson claimed in the suit.
“They failed to maintain the building in a safe manner, failed that day to recognize the dangerous man-made condition and remedy the situation, and failed to warn the public,” the suit reads.
Family Dollar Denies Allegations
Family Dollar in its response to Wilson’s complaint asked the court to dismiss her claims altogether, saying Wilson failed to bolster her argument with sufficient facts. The business chain further alleged that the incident was Wilson’s own fault, others’ fault, or otherwise beyond Family Dollar’s control.
“(Wilson’s) alleged injuries were proximately caused by… events beyond the control of (Family Dollar),” reads the counterclaim.
Wilson had sued Family Dollar in May, in Platte County District Court, but because she asked for more than $75,000 in damages, the negligence case was transferred to federal court, the U.S. District Court for Wyoming.
The whole suit was filed Friday in the federal court and is still pending.
