An Emerson woman claiming to have slipped and fell on a wet floor almost two years ago at Magnolia’s Walmart Supercenter is now suing the Arkansas-based retail behemoth.
In a civil suit filed Feb. 22 in Columbia County, Sylvia R. Johnson of Emerson, through her attorney Matthew Q. Soyars of Flint & Soyars, P.C. of Texarkana, Texas, is seeking damages after her alleged April 15, 2017, incident. In the plaintiff’s complaint, Johnson was said to have been shopping for detergent that day at the 60 U.S. Hwy. 79 Walmart.
“She began walking down the aisle that laundry detergent is located on, her right foot slipped on something wet and slick causing her to fall forward with her left knee bending backward-twisting,” the complaint said. “[Johnson] had prior left-knee arthroscopy on March 16, 2017, and was recovering from this procedure at the time of the slip and fall accident in question.”
The plaintiff, whose age is not revealed in the lawsuit, was also undergoing physical therapy at the time, according to case file details, and “suffered a new complex left knee tear injury involving the lateral meniscus and was required to undergo a left knee arthroscopy and lateral meniscectomy on June 15, 2017.”
The suit claims that Magnolia’s Walmart was “guilty of negligent conduct” by failing to maintain a safe premises, failing to monitor the premises of potentially hazardous conditions and failing to warn invitees of the alleged dangerous conditions.
“Plaintiff has suffered physical impairment and mental anguish in the past, and in all reasonable probability will continue to do so in the future,” the complaint said.
Johnson also “demands” a jury trial in the matter. She is seeking numerous judgments and awards, including for past and future medical expenses, “pain and suffering and mental anguish,” and “any and all other relief to which she may be justly entitled.”
Walmart Inc. of Little Rock was issued a summons in the case on Feb. 22. The company now has 30 to 60 days, depending on circumstances, after receiving the letter to respond. According to Walmart’s corporate website, the retail giant retains its own general legal counsel and has a legal department “responsible for handling all legal matters affecting the company in its domestic and international markets.”
Walmart corporate was contacted Tuesday afternoon to comment further on the suit, but the company has not returned the inquiry. Further details will be issued online, should the company respond to the Banner-News' request.