
A woman from Sonoma County is taking legal action against Costco, claiming she was seriously injured when a liquor cabinet toppled onto her at the Santa Rosa store. She says the injuries have had lasting effects.
According to the lawsuit, the incident took place on March 22 while Sadie Novotny was shopping alongside her husband.
She filed a lawsuit in April, which has since been moved to federal court. Novotny is asking for more than $14 million in damages.
The complaint explains that as Novotny tried to buy a liquor cabinet, a floor model suddenly toppled over and hit her.
"I was holding the flatbed when the floor model fell on top of me," she wrote in her report. "I caught the cabinet and pushed it back. My right shoulder, forearm, hand, fingers, and lower back hurt after the accident."
Novotny says she suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of the incident. Her attorney, Claude Wyle, stated that she was taken to the emergency room, where doctors diagnosed her with a concussion.
She is still dealing with word-finding issues, vision trouble, and headaches.
"She continues to suffer daily," Wyle told CBS Money. He also said Costco has video footage of the incident, but the company has not released it.
A woman in California is suing Costco for more than $14 million after a heavy liquor cabinet display allegedly fell on her, causing severe injuries.
— ABC News (@ABC) June 11, 2025
Her lawyer claims Costco refused to share video footage of the cabinet falling. https://t.co/5e6vJu9Ewh pic.twitter.com/Jy3lVOWZ4q
Costco Faces Lawsuit Over Dangerous Store Setup
The lawsuit alleges that Costco was negligent for setting up an unstable liquor display on a damaged or worn wooden pallet, creating a hazardous situation for customers.
According to People, it also claims the display had thin legs and posed "a serious risk of harm" to shoppers.
Novotny argues that Costco should have known the setup was dangerous and failed to warn customers or properly train staff.
The complaint argues that the defendants' negligence played a major role in causing Novotny's injuries.
Costco received the lawsuit on May 7. The company's lawyers asked for the case to be moved to the US District Court for Northern California, which was approved on June 5.
One part of the lawsuit targets Costco Wholesale Membership, Inc., but Costco's legal team argues that Membership does not own or run the Santa Rosa store and should be removed from the case. Novotny's attorney has not responded to that request.
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