PITTSBURGH – A woman is suing a Brunswick Lanes bowling alley for negligence after she says she suffered serious injuries, including a spinal compression fracture, in a fall while bowling in that same location last year.
Jacalyn Zimmer of South Park filed suit in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on May 1 versus AMF Bowling Center (doing business as “Brunswick Zone Belle Vernon Lanes”), of Belle Vernon.
“On or about Nov. 30, 2016, at approximately 9:30 to 10:00 p.m., on the premises of the AMF Bowling Center…plaintiff [Jacalyn] Zimmer was bowling at one of the lanes located in defendant’s place of business when she encountered dangerous, hazardous and/or otherwise unsafe conditions caused by a metal strip between the hardwood floor and carpeting on the lane,” the complaint says.
The litigation adds the bowling alley had notice of the unsafe condition prior to Zimmer’s accident, and did nothing to warn of or repair it.
“As a result of the dangerous, hazardous and/or otherwise unsafe conditions, plaintiff, [Jacalyn] Zimmer, was caused to lose her balance and fall flat on her back, after her bowling shoe became wedged in the metal strip between the hardwood floor and carpeting, eliminating her ability to move forward to catch her balance. Solely as a result of the defendant’s negligence, plaintiff sustained the following injuries, all of which are or may be permanent in nature: Compressed fracture of the spine; back pain; pain in buttocks, hips, thighs and calves; other joint pain; side effects from prescribed medication; loss of sleep from intense pain and other serious and/or permanent injuries,” the complaint states.
For a lone count of negligence, the plaintiff is seeking damages in an amount that exceeds the arbitration limits of Allegheny County, plus interest and costs in this matter.
The plaintiff is represented by Jepthah M. Orstein of Ainsman Levine, in Pittsburgh.
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas case GD-17-7205
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nickpennrecord@gmail.com