Woman sues store claiming employee pushed her into pallet jack while attempting to load furniture

NEW ORLEANS - A Louisiana woman is suing Wal-Mart claiming that she was injured when she was pushed into a pallet jack by an employee as she was attempting to assist the employee with loading furniture into her vehicle.

Mary Mares filed suit against Wal-Mart Louisiana on Oct. 29 in federal court in New Orleans.

The alleged incident occurred on Feb. 25, 2012 as Mares was a customer at the Wal-Mart store in Kenner. She states she suffered a serious injury when she was asked by a Wal-Mart employee to assist him in loading a just-purchased futon into her vehicle. While maneuvering the futon, the employee pushed the futon and the plaintiff into a pallet jack that the Wal-Mart employee had left too close to the vehicle, causing Mares to fall over and become injured.

The plaintiff is seeking an award of damages for medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, disfigurement, disability, scarring, interest, and court costs.

Mares is represented by New Orleans attorney Laurence Cohen. A jury trial is requested.

U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon is assigned to the case.

Case No. 2:12-cv-02612