Woman blames Kmart after falling off display bar stool

CHARLESTON - A Nitro woman has filed a suit against a national retail store after she was injured when a display stool she set on broke.

Linda S. White filed a suit Oct. 18 in Kanawha Circuit Court against Kmart Corporation after she was injured at the St. Albans location.

According to the suit, on Oct. 13, 2006, White went to Kmart to buy a bar stool. She found one that she was interesting in purchasing that was on display.

"As Ms. White sat on the assembled and displayed bar stool, the bar stool suddenly and unexpectedly collapsed, causing her to fall to the ground, strike her head on a shopping cart and land on her back," the suit says.

She claims she suffered physical pain and suffering and incurred medical expenses.

According to the suit, Kmart has a duty to assure that such merchandise is properly assembled, maintained, inspected, and safe at all times, for its ordinary and intended use.

In the four-count suit, White seeks compensatory and punitive damages.

Attorney Robert D. Cline is representing White. The case has been assigned to Judge Louis Bloom.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number 07-C-2256