A California woman is seeking millions of dollars in damages from Costco after an incident at one of the retailer’s stores allegedly left her with permanent injuries.
Sadie Novotny filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of Alameda on April 29, claiming that a heavy liquor cabinet on display at Costco’s Santa Rosa store toppled onto her “suddenly and without warning,” causing her to suffer “multiple, permanent and severe” injuries.
The incident occurred while Novotny was shopping with her husband on March 22, according to the lawsuit. She alleges she sustained a traumatic brain injury, later diagnosed at the emergency room as a mild concussion, and continues to suffer from headaches, vision problems, and difficulty finding words.
Novotny is suing Costco for general negligence, premises liability, and products liability. Her attorney, Claude Wyle of Choulos, Choulos & Wyle, told CBS MoneyWatch his client is seeking “millions” in compensation.
Wyle also revealed that Costco has a video of the incident but has not yet released it. He expects to obtain the footage during the discovery process.
Costco did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In her complaint, Novotny claims the retailer failed to correct hazardous conditions and did not adequately train staff to maintain merchandise safely. The lawsuit alleges that Costco’s negligence was a substantial factor in causing her injuries.
The case has since been moved to the U.S. District Court for Northern California at Costco’s request, Wyle said.
