PENNSYLVANIA RECORD

A Southeastern Pennsylvania woman is suing Texas-based Reddy Ice Corp.

over a torn ligament she sustained allegedly as a result of slipping on a leaking bag of ice packaged by the defendant.

Loretta Sfamurri, of Clifton Heights, Delaware County, filed a federal civil action Jan. 2 at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania accusing Reddy Ice Corp. and Reddy Ice Holdings Inc. of negligence for failing to inspect, maintain and repair an ice machine at the Bottom Dollar Food store at 48 W. Baltimore Avenue in Lansdowne, Pa.

The plaintiff was a customer at the store on Aug. 18, 2012, when she slipped on a wet surface created by a leaking ice bag, the complaint states.

The lawsuit asserts that a self-service ice machine located within the store was either not functioning or malfunctioning, with the above-freezing temperature causing the ice to partially melt.

The defendants were the owners of the self-service ice machine and were responsible for the machine’s maintenance and inspection, the suit states.

“Defendants knew, by reasonable inspection should have known, or were otherwise constructively aware of the dangerous condition created by the malfunctioning ice machine and the melting ice,” the complaint reads.

As a result of the defendants’ negligence, the suit says, Sfamurri sustained traumatic injury to her right leg, including internal derangement and tear of the ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament.

The plaintiff claims she has suffered great physical pain, mental anguish, nervous system shock, and that she has been compelled to expend various sums of money to cure her of her leg injuries.

She also alleges that she suffered a permanent impairment of her earning power and capacity as a result of her fall.

Sfamurri seeks more than $150,000 in damages.

The complaint was filed by Media, Pa. attorney Gerald B. Baldino, Jr., of the firm Sacchetta & Baldino.

 

The federal case number is 2:14-cv-00007-JD.