Lawsuit: Inversion table dumped woman on head

HUNTINGTON - A woman is suing Dick's Sporting Goods after she claims she was injured as a result of an inversion table.

Paradigm Health & Fitness Inc. were also named as defendants in the suit.

On Sept. 23, 2012, Rhoda V. Lawson purchased Paradigm's inversion table at Dick's Sporting Goods store in Barboursville and she used the table daily, gradually increasing the angle of the IT from horizontal to vertical, according to a complaint filed Oct. 29 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

On Oct. 31, 2012, Lawson claims she attempted the full vertical inversion of 180 degrees and, after assuming the full vertical position for approximately 60-90 seconds, the IT mechanism supporting Lawson failed, causing her to fall head-first to the floor.

Lawson claims she used the inversion table according to the manufacturer's instructions provided by the seller and for the use for which it was designed and sold by the manufacturer and seller.

As a result, Lawson suffered a concussion and her head, neck and back were injured, according to the suit.

Lawson claims she further suffers from physical pain and emotional distress and sustained a loss of income and has incurred medical bills.

The defendants breached their duties in failing to design the product so as to avoid an unreasonable risk of harm; failing to use reasonable care in testing the product; and failing to use reasonable care in the study of the product to evaluate its safety, according to the suit.

Lawson is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. She was being represented by James A. McKowen of James F. Humphreys & Associates LC.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Paul T. Farrell.

Cabell Circuit Court case number: 13-C-804