Buc-ee's travel center sued after man trips over inflatable mascot cord

A South Carolina man filed a lawsuit against a South Carolina Buc-ee’s travel center after he tripped over a cord connected to its inflatable beaver mascot and hurt himself.

Richard Brown says in a complaint filed on Aug. 1 that, on May 22, 2022, he tripped over a rope that was strung across a sidewalk at the Florence County Buc-ee’s to anchor the mascot.

The location, the chain’s first in South Carolina, had been open for business for only six days when the incident occurred, according to the San Antonio news site MySA.com.

The resulting fall hurt Mr. Brown, particularly his right shoulder, and “and will in the future cause [him] to undergo much physical pain, suffering, mental anguish, emotional distress, and impairment of health and bodily efficiency,” his complaint says.

Mr. Brown did not provide details of his injury in court documents, nor did he say what, if any, continuing medical conditions he has dealt with as a result of his fall.

Mr. Brown asserts that Buc-ee’s was responsible for ensuring the sidewalk was clear and safe as a general pedestrian thoroughfare and that the rope was a foreseeable hazard to walkers.

His complaint did not ask for a set amount of monetary damages, but instead asked for “actual damages in amounts determined by a jury, for the costs of this action, and for such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper.”

Buc-ee’s general counsel Jeff Nadalo told The Washington Times in a statement that the company does not comment on pending litigation.