Home Depot sued by woman whose thumb was allegedly broken by a box of tiles

GRETNA – A national hardware retailer is being sued by a customer who claims she was severely injured in one of its local stores.

Joan Boteler Rainer filed suit against Home Depot USA Inc. in the 24th Judicial District Court on July 18.

Rainer claims that on July 21, 2012 she was purchasing boxes of tiles in the checkout line at the Home Depot in Kenner when the cashier asked her to count the number of tiles in a box. The plaintiff claims that she could not see any writing on the box indicating how many tiles were included in it so she in accordance with the cashier’s instructions she reached over to grab the box and started to pull it out when another box fell on her hand. Rainer asserts she received a deep laceration on her requiring eight stitches and a fractured thumb that became severely swollen all of which required surgical correction.

The defendant is accused negligence and recklessly stacking boxes.

Damages less than $50,000 are sought for bodily injury, pain and suffering, mental anguish, distress and medical expenses.

Rainer is represented by attorney Clayton J. Borne III of Metairie.

The case has been assigned to Division H Judge Glenn B. Ansardi.

Case no. 729-017.