Home Depot hit with suit by customer who alleges injury from loading heavy equipment into car

A DuPage County man is suing a home improvement retailer, claiming he was injured because an employee was negligent in helping him load a 225-pound piece of equipment into his vehicle.

Randall R. Rippe of Glendale Heights filed a lawsuit Feb. 9 in Cook County Circuit Court against Home Depot U.S.A. Inc.

According to the complaint, an employee of the Home Depot store at 1232 W. North Ave. assisted Rippe loading a 225-pound drain cleaning machine into his vehicle on Feb. 11, 2013.

The employee engaged to help Rippe, however, was physically incapable of properly lifting, maneuvering and supporting the weight of the machine, the suit states. As a result, Rippe claims he was injured during the transfer of the equipment into his vehicle.

He accuses Home Depot of failing to properly train the employee and seeks more than $50,000 in damages, plus costs. He is represented by attorney Edward J. Witas III of Edward J. Witas & Associates in Schaumburg.

Cook County Circuit Court case number: 2015L001363. 

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note that a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt and represents only one side of the story.