Abbeville Walmart's

Abbeville Walmart's "Norman" the Nutria case goes to court in July

Posted: Feb 13, 2012 1:39 PM by Tonya LaCoste
Updated: Feb 13, 2012 2:54 PM

The case of "Norman" the nutria accused of giving an Abbeville Walmart shopper an anxiety or panic attic will go before a jury on July 30. Rebecca T. White filed a lawsuit after she claims a nutria ran from behind a Coke rack and ran straight toward her in October of 2008. According to the lawsuit, White, "fearing for her safety pulled the shopping cart towards her to protect her from the large, vicious looking rat, and in doing so, the cart rolled over her left foot causing her to stumble and causing her to suffer from the injuries." In March of 2010, Walmart said White was at fault for reacting in a way that startled the nutria.

The lawsuit claims Walmart employees knew a nutria had been running loose in the store for days, and other shoppers had run across the nutria which employees nicknamed "Norman."

According to the suit, Walmart was negligent, because it didn't warn White a nutria was in the store nor did it protect her from the animal. In his filing, Abbeville attorney Anthony Fontana asked for a trial by jury and is asking Walmart to pay for damages and court costs.