RIPLEY – A woman is suing Tractor Supply after she claims she was injured by broken equipment it rented out.
On Feb. 11, 2015, Tractor Supply rented a trailer to a person working for Dorthea R. Gilbert that was to be used for her, but the ramp on the trailer was broken, according to a complaint filed Feb. 1 in Jackson Circuit Court.
Gilbert claims Tractor Supply knew the ramp was broken and did not tell the person who rented it.
The mesh that is the walking surface on the ramp was not attached to the ramp and when Gilbert was walking down the ramp, her foot went through, causing her to fall forward and go down the ramp, according to the suit.
Gilbert claims she went to Tractor Supply and spoke with the manager, who informed her that she had requested weeks before that the trailer be fixed, but that corporate had not gotten back to her about it, so she continued to rent the trailer out.
The plaintiff’s knee was scraped up and she felt alright at the time and was only sore, however, the following day, her shoulder and neck hurt and by Feb. 13, 2015, she could not move her neck or shoulder and went to Jackson General Clinic and was told her had pulled muscles, according to the suit.
Gilbert claims on Feb. 26, 2015, she went to Charleston Area Medical Center’s emergency room and was told she had a pulled core muscle and it took her approximately five weeks before she was back to normal.
The plaintiff did not have health insurance at the time and was able to get her medical bills reduced to half and set up on a payment plan, according to the suit.
Gilbert claims Tractor Supply reimbursed her for her medical bills. Later, the company offered her $200 for pain and suffering.
Gilbert is seeking $20,000 for pain and suffering. She is representing herself.
Jackson Circuit Court case number: 17-C-11