A California woman is seeking over $14 million in damages from Costco after a liquor cabinet allegedly toppled onto her at a Santa Rosa store, causing severe and permanent injuries including a traumatic brain injury.
Sadie Novotny filed the lawsuit in April in Alameda County Superior Court, but it has since been moved to the U.S. District Court for Northern California. The complaint accuses Costco of negligence, premises liability, and product liability, arguing the company failed to properly secure the display and train its employees in safe merchandising practices.
The incident occurred on March 22 while Novotny and her husband were shopping for a liquor cabinet. According to court documents, a floor model suddenly fell, striking her and resulting in injuries to her head, right shoulder, arm, hand, fingers, and lower back. A Costco incident report included in the lawsuit confirms she attempted to catch the cabinet but was hurt in the process…