PRINCETON — The parents of a high school swim team member who was attending practice at Bluefield State College are suing over injuries sustained on its property.
Bluefield State College, Tazewell County Public Schools, John Doe Glass Manufacturer, John Doe Contractor and Kimberly Benson were all named as defendants in the suit.
Abigail Shoemaker, Mary Shoemaker and Chris Shoemaker claim on Nov. 14, 2019, Abigail Shoemaker was attending swim practice at Bluefield State College and was performing a "wall-sit" when the glass wall behind her shattered and she fell onto large shards of glass, according to a complaint filed in Mercer Circuit Court.
The Shoemakers claim Abigail Shoemaker suffered a punctured lung, an artery was severed in her back, she suffered a broken rib and lacerations to her diaphragm. She was transported to Bluefield Regional Medical Center and then life-flighted to Charleston Area Medical Center.
The Shoemakers are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. They are represented by Kevin A. Nelson, Arie M. Spitz, and Chandler E. Aragona of Dinsmore & Shohl in Charleston.
Mercer Circuit Court case number: 21-C-97