Graterford Prison employee files product liability lawsuit in case of broken chair

A Philadelphia couple has filed a product liability lawsuit against the makers of a chair that the husband was sitting on during the course of his employment that broke and threw him to the floor.

Lawyer Paul L. Herron, of the Philadelphia firm Kelly & Herron, P.C., filed the civil complaint June 13 at the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas on behalf of husband and wife Wayne Jones and Alfreda Jordan.

The defendants named in the lawsuit are California-based Norstar Office Products, Inc. and Boss Office Products, as well as Philadelphia-based Jal Associates, Inc. and Emerald Business Supply.

According to the complaint, Wayne Jones, during the course of his employment at Graterford Prison in Montgomery County, Pa., was sitting in a chair on July 1, 2009, when the device broke apart and collapsed, sending Jones to the floor, and causing various unspecified physical injuries, mental anguish and inconvenience.

The lawsuit accuses the defendants of recklessness and negligence, saying they failed to furnish the product in question with the proper warnings of its potential danger, failed to assemble and fabricate the product in a safe way, and failed to properly inspect and test the product to ensure its safety.

The complaint alleges that Jones has been prevented from carrying out his daily duties because of the injuries he has suffered. He also has incurred various medical expenses and has experienced a loss of earnings and earning capacity.

The lawsuit contains counts of negligence, breach of warranty and strict liability. For each count, Jones demands judgment against the defendants jointly and severally in an amount in excess of $50,000 plus related costs.

The lawsuit also contains a loss of consortium count on the part of the spouse, in which she, too, demands judgment in an amount of $50,000, plus interest and court costs.

The plaintiff’s have requested a jury trial. The case currently awaits listing in case management conference.

The case number is 110600822.