Wal-Mart customer claims legs became twisted under cart

A St. Charles Parish resident has filed a lawsuit against Wal-Mart after she slipped and fell and was injured when her legs became twisted under her shopping cart.

Cheryl Bastian filed suit against Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Sept. 30 in St. Charles Parish District Court. The defendant removed the case to federal court in New Orleans on Oct. 24.

The incident occurred on June 19, 2011 as Bastian was shopping in the Wal-Mart store located in Boutte. She states she was walking on the main grocery isle pushing her grocery basket, when she slipped on a wet substance on the floor of the store, causing her to fall to the ground. As she was falling to the ground, she held on to the basket in an attempt to break her fall and her legs were twisted under the basket.

The defendant is accused of negligence for failing to provide a safe shopping environment for its patrons, failing to clearly mark a dangerous safety hazard, failing to provide adequate warning of the dangerousness of the wet floor and failing to timely clean up the wet substance that was on the floor.

The plaintiff is seeking damages for medical expenses, physical pain and suffering, loss wages, interest and court costs.

Bastian is represented by Luling attorney Juan A. Byrd.

U.S. District Judge Kurt D. Engelhardt is assigned to the case.

Case No. 2:11-cv-02658