This Just In: Kanawha County

Oct. 17
Stacy White-Slaughter and Jeremy Slaughter v. Ramada Worldwide Inc., a Delaware Corporation, dba Ramada Inn and Ramada, et al
PA – John Einreinhofer; J – Berger
* The Slaughters filed a suit against Ramada Worldwide, after several checks were stolen from their room at a Morgantown Ramada. They claim Mitchell Kerns, a Ramada employee, stole several checks and cashed them for a total of $960. They seek compensatory and punitive damages.
Case number: 07-C-2235

Oct. 18
Helen Payton Fisher v. Larry E. Ellison, Cathy Ellison
PA – James R. Akers, II; J – Kaufman
* Helen Payton Fisher, a South Charleston resident, filed a suit against her landlords, seeking compensation after she was injured when she fell on a sidewalk outside her home. She claims the sidewalk was dangerous, and she had told her landlords, Larry and Cathy Ellison, but they did not repair it. She seeks to be compensated for her various expenses.
Case number: 07-C-2255

Linda S. White v. K-Mart Corporations, a Michigan Corporation, et al
PA – Robert D. Cline, Jr.; J – Bloom
* Linda White, of Nitro, claims she was injured when a bar stool she set on at the St. Albans K-Mart fell apart. White was sitting on the bar stool because she was interested in buying it. She fell and hit her head on her cart, and landed on the floor on her back. She seeks compensatory and punitive damages.
Case number: 07-C-2256

Bethel Owen Bias v. Speedway SuperAmerica LLC, a Delaware Limited Liability Company, EBY-Brown Company, LLC.
PA – D. Adrian Hoosier, II; J – Kaufman
* Bethel Owen Bias filed a suit against Speedway after he bit into a gravy-filled breakfast biscuit that was too hot, and burned his lip. Bias claims the manufacturer should include a warning that offers a cooling time. He seeks compensation for medical bills, court costs, damages for annoyance, inconvenience and aggravation, pain and suffering, and missed work, as well as permanent scarring.
Case number: 07-C-2271

Oct.19
Kevin Vance and Mary Vance v. B.W. Painter, Inc., a West Virginia Corporation
PA – William V. DePaulo; J – Zakaib
* Kevin Vance has filed a suit against B.W. Painter, Inc., a food company, claiming food it sold to Kentucky Fried Chicken gave him food poisoning. Vance claims he was made ill by food he bought at a South Charleston Kentucky Fried Chicken. Mary Vance claims she lost consortium from her husband. Together, they seek compensatory and punitive damages.
Case number: 07-C-2277

Chris Hizer v. Shockers Lounge, Jim Wilson, Kim Wilson, American Express
PA – Richard J. Lindroth; J – Kaufman
* Chris Hizer filed a suit against an exotic dance club and two of its employees, claiming they tried to defraud him of thousands of dollars. Hizer claims Jim and Kim Wilson charged his credit card for $6,000 and tried to charge him for an additional $10,000 after he visited the club one night. He seeks compensation of $6,399 and punitive damages.
Case number: 07-C-2279

Oct. 23
Augustine Bryant, personally and as administratrix of the estate of Billy Frank Bryant, deceased v. Ronald J. McCowen, M.D., et al
PA – Edward ReBrook, III; J – Kaufman
* Augustine Bryant has filed a medical malpractice suit against a Charleston physician, on behalf of the estate of her late husband. Bryant claims her husband was given a faulty pacemaker, which was recalled two months before his surgery, but Charleston Area Medical Center still used. He died after his pacemaker malfunctioned. In the six-count suit, Augustine Bryant seeks compensation for her grief, loss of companionship and consortium, pain and suffering and her husband untimely and unnecessary death, as well as other damages.
Case number: 07-C-2297

Peggy J. Martin v. Hammond Group Incorporated, et al
PA – Paul M. Stroebel; J – Bloom
* Peggy Martin filed a suit against Hammond Group Incorporated, which owns several Subway restaurants, including the one where she was employed. Martin claims a co-worker sexually harassed her several times, while they were working. In the three-count suit, Martin seeks to have McClure removed from his position, to be returned to hers, for the company to provide sexual harassment training and compensatory and punitive damages.
Case number: 07-C-2298

Oct. 25
Tonya Dodd and David Dodd v. Michael R. Spindel, M.D.
PA – Brian L. Ooten; J – Stucky
* Tonya Dodd filed a personal injury lawsuit against Huntington-based plastic surgeon Michael Spindel, claiming he caused her injuries after he performed her breast augmentation. Dodd claims that between Oct. 24, 2000 and Dec. 14, 2005, she has pain, tingling, itching and hardness of her right breast. According to the suit, Spindel told her she had leakage in her left implant, but that her right one was fine. However, on June 24, 2006, her right breast ruptured, and she was taken to the emergency room where she was diagnosed with an abscess and infection of her right breast with an implant migration. She will have to have significant constructive surgery to repair her deformity. David Dodd claims he has suffered a loss of consortium and services from his wife, and has had to perform duties he would not have to do if his wife had not been injured. Tonya Dodd claims she suffered medical expenses, pain and suffering, scarring and disfigurement, emotional distress, annoyance and inconvenience and the loss of ability to enjoy life. Tonya and David Dodd seek compensatory and punitive damages.
Case number: 07-C-2308