Parking lot owner sued after car battery allegedly falls onto woman’s foot, causing injury

NEW ORLEANS – A woman is suing a parking lot owner due to an injury allegedly sustained while retrieving her vehicle from a valet attendant.

Bridget Salela filed suit against Parking Management Services Inc. in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court.

On March 23, 2013 at the Doubletree by Hilton at 300 Canal Street in New Orleans, Salela claims that a valet engaged in returning her vehicle to her opened the vehicle’s tailgate despite Salela’s alleged warning against doing so.

According to the suit, a spare car battery fell from the back of the vehicle when the valet opened the tailgate. The battery allegedly landed on the plaintiff’s foot. Salela asserts that the accident caused severe injury, and was caused by the Parking Management Service’s negligence.

The defendant is accused of failing to be vigilant of items capable of falling out of vehicles, failing to properly train and supervise its employees, failing to follow Salela’s direction, opening the tailgate when Salela was in a position for items to fall and hit her, failing to take reasonable actions to prevent objects from falling out of the vehicle and failing to properly unload the plaintiff’s vehicle.

The plaintiff is seeking an unknown amount in damages for alleged serious and permanent injuries, including past, present, and future suffering and medical expenses, a broken toe, permanent disability, disfigurement to Salela’s foot, mental anguish and emotional distress.

Bridget Salela is represented by Tamara Kluger Jacobsen.

The case has been assigned to Division I Judge Piper D. Griffin.

Case no. 2014-02711.