A woman is suing a motorized wheelchair and medical equipment manufacturer, alleging her defective wheelchair malfunctioned and caused her serious injuries.
Marlene Lucas filed a lawsuit Sept. 25 in Cook County Circuit Court against United Seating and Mobility, alleging negligence, breach of warranty and breach of fitness for a particular purpose.
In September 2013, the complaint states, Lucas bought a motorized wheelchair from United Seating and Mobility, which began to malfunction two weeks later. Two weeks after the malfunction, a service technician came to repair the wheelchair and promised to return but he never did so, the suit says.
Lucas alleges she called the defendant's office several times to complain about the defective chair and lack of follow-up, but nothing was done.
On Oct. 27, 2013, the complaint states, while Lucas was on the Chicago Transit Authority platform at Congress and Kedzie Street in Chicago, her motorized wheelchair suddenly sped forward and she went over the platform onto the "L" train tracks, sustaining serious injuries.
The suit says United Seating was negligent in failing to maintain property in a safe condition, failing to uncover an unsafe condition, failing to repair the unsafe property, and allowing the device to be placed in commerce in disrepair condition.
Lucas seeks more than $50,000, plus costs of the suit. She is represented by Pomper & Goodman in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 2015L009819.