In a compelling legal development, a Highland Park resident has taken action against a major retail corporation following an unfortunate incident that occurred in one of its stores. Margarita Barajas filed a complaint on October 3, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Target Corporation. The case sheds light on alleged negligence by the retail giant, which Barajas claims led to her sustaining significant injuries.
According to the details laid out in the court documents, Barajas was visiting a Target store located at 2099 Skokie Valley Road in Highland Park on October 6, 2022. During her visit, she slipped and fell on liquid soap while walking down aisle Q22 in the Toy Department. The complaint asserts that Barajas was exercising reasonable care for her own safety at the time of the incident and thus was not contributorily negligent. It is further claimed that Target Corporation had a duty to maintain its premises in a safe condition but failed to do so.
The lawsuit accuses Target Corporation of several counts of negligence. These include allowing the area where Barajas fell to remain hazardous despite knowing or having reason to know about the dangerous condition posed by the spilled liquid soap. Additionally, it is alleged that Target failed to adequately inspect and maintain its premises, remove hazards such as the liquid soap from customer areas, and provide sufficient warnings or barricades around such hazards. Furthermore, accusations extend to insufficient training and instruction for employees regarding hazard monitoring and cleaning procedures.
Barajas seeks damages exceeding $75,000 as compensation for personal injuries sustained due to what she describes as Target’s negligent actions or omissions. The plaintiff’s legal representation is provided by McCready, Garcia & Leet, P.C., with attorney Kyle C. Bailey leading her case. This lawsuit highlights ongoing concerns about customer safety within large retail environments and emphasizes corporate responsibility towards maintaining safe shopping conditions.
This article was first published in Cook County Record.
