HOUSTON — A chair dolly’s alleged “low profile” at the YMCA of Greater Houston resulted in a woman attending a volleyball game stepping on it and falling.
Seeking up to $1 million in damages, Priscilla Dugas filed suit August 14 against the YMCA in Harris County District Court.
According to the lawsuit, on April 11, the YMCA and its employees placed a “low-profile” chair dolly at the end of the bleachers in the gymnasium, an area where the YMCA knew spectators walked when entering and exiting the bleachers during events.
“The condition was unreasonably dangerous… because of the chair dolly’s placement, position, low profile, mobility, unlocked and unrestrained casters, and the absence of any warning, cone, sign, barricade, or cordoning,” the suit states.
“The chair dolly sat only inches above the floor. It was dark black in color and visually blended with the black boundary and game lines painted on the light-colored wood gymnasium floor and with the shadows cast at the end of the bleachers.”
Dugas alleges that the dolly was positioned at the end of the bleachers, below the natural sightline of anyone descending the bleachers, whose attention would be on their footing on the bleacher steps, crowd and activity at the gym, not on the floor beyond the last step.
“The condition was concealed, inconspicuous, and camouflaged, and it was not open and obvious to a reasonably prudent invitee exercising ordinary care,” the suit states. “The danger presented by the chair dolly was not merely its presence, but its latent characteristic: unlocked casters that would roll suddenly and without warning when weight was applied.”
As Dugas was exiting the bleacher area, she stepped on the dolly, which rolled out from under her, causing her to fall and suffer injuries.
She is suing for her past and future pain and mental anguish, impairment, disfigurement and medical expenses.
The Stephens Law Firm in Katy represents her.
Case No. 2026-57093
