A retail giant is facing a lawsuit after a shopping trip turned into a painful ordeal for one customer. Jhon Williams filed a complaint against Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation in the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Pinellas County, Florida, on November 15, 2024. The lawsuit alleges that Williams suffered injuries due to negligence on the part of Burlington Coat Factory.

The incident occurred on May 5, 2023, when Williams visited the Burlington Coat Factory store located at 1900 Tyrone Blvd. N., St. Petersburg, Florida. As a business invitee intending to purchase items, Williams bought a pair of sneakers from the store. Unbeknownst to him, these sneakers contained a sharp metal object that had been improperly left inside due to the use of security tags or devices by the store. This hidden danger resulted in Williams sustaining an injury to his foot.

Williams’ complaint accuses Burlington Coat Factory of creating a dangerous condition and failing to warn customers about it. The plaintiff asserts that the defendant sold merchandise without ensuring that security tags or devices did not leave hazardous metal objects within the products they sold. According to Williams, this oversight breached the duty of care owed by Burlington Coat Factory to its customers.