Woman says 7-Eleven to blame for premature delivery

CHARLESTON - A Kanawha County woman claims she and her then-unborn daughter were injured when a door at a local convenience store hit her, causing her to prematurely deliver her daughter.

Nichole Black filed a suit June 3 in Kanawha Circuit Court, against Prima Marketing, which does business as 7-Eleven.

Black claims she was at the 7-Eleven located at 342 2nd Avenue in South Charleston on June 3, 2006. While at the store, she was looking at sunglasses when she noticed a pair had fallen to the ground. She bent over to pick up the sunglasses when an unidentified person entered.

While picking up the glasses, the door hit Black, and injured her and her then-unborn child, Katelynn Black.

"As a result of the impact from being struck by the door, (Black) delivered Katelynn Black approximately three weeks premature," the suit says.

The suit says Black's injuries are the direct result of 7-Eleven placing the sunglass rack so close to the door.

Black claims she and her daughter suffered severe and permanent injuries, including extreme physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, sorrow, grief, trauma and other injuries.

Black seems compensatory damages for her injuries and the injuries of her daughter.

Attorney Paul S. Perfater is representing Black. The case has been assigned to Judge Charles King.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number 08-C-1066