STARKVILLE — A Sturgis woman is suing the Starkville location of Lowe’s after she claims she was injured by improperly stacked construction materials that fell on her.

Lauren Cooper filed a federal suit Feb. 6 in the Northern District of Mississippi. She is represented by Starkville-based attorney Austin Vollor.

According to the complaint, which is only one side of a legal argument, Cooper visited the Lowe’s on Highway 12 on Oct. 30, 2022, “to spend money and purchase materials.”

Cooper browsed her way to an aisle in the moulding and millwork section of the store, Vollor wrote.

“Unbeknownst to (Cooper), the moulding material was improperly stacked and hanging off the bottom ledge of the shelf,” Vollor wrote. “… The improperly stacked moulding material fell and struck (Cooper) directly on her head and shoulder. (Cooper) was knocked to the concrete floor by the 12-foot wood moulding.”

Cooper suffered “severe injuries to her head, neck and shoulder,” Vollor wrote.

Vollor argues Lowe’s created an unsafe environment for shoppers and shows negligence on the store’s part.

Lowe’s, its managers and its employees “had a duty to maintain its premises … in a reasonably safe condition for persons lawfully on” the premises, Vollor wrote. The store “failed to remove the improperly stacked materials from hanging off the ledge, causing a hazard.”

It was foreseeable that the over-stacked moulding posed a hazard, Vollor wrote, and the store should have exercised “reasonable care” to prevent accidents from happening.

Lowe’s failed to “hire, supervise and train its employees to follow reasonable safety standards,” Vollor wrote.

Cooper “suffered great pain and anguish, both in mind and body, and continues to suffer such pain and anguish,” Vollor wrote. “(Cooper) further expended and will continue to expend and become liable for large sums of money for medical care and services.”

Cooper will also suffer loss of earning capacity in the future, Vollor wrote.

“(Cooper) suffered severe and life-altering injuries … and was and will be hindered and prevented from attending to her usual duties and affairs of life,” Vollor wrote, “and will in the future lose value of that time.”

Cooper is suing Lowe’s, as well as John Does Nos. 1 and 2, who are the as-yet-unidentified manager and employee responsible for allegedly creating the dangerous situation that injured her.

She is asking for compensatory damages and court costs.

Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.