Mother, son sue Verizon, Go-Mart for injuries from pay phone

CHARLESTON -- A mother and her son are suing Verizon and Go-Mart after he was shocked and injured while talking on a pay phone.

On July 30, 2009, Casey Daniel Roberts was talking on a Verizon pay phone at Go-Mart when he was "suddenly and violently shocked" through the phone, causing him to collapse, according to a complaint filed Aug. 6 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Casey Roberts and his mother, Elizabeth Roberts, claim the Verizon pay phone was defective and/or defectively wired and unreasonably dangerous.

Go-Mart permitted Verizon to place the pay phone at its store, and knew or should have known that the pay phone was defective or had faulty wiring, according to the suit.

Casey and Elizabeth Roberts are seeking judgment in an amount yet to be determined. They are being represented by Michelle L. Johnson.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Tod J. Kaufman.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 10-C-1409