Man Dies After Defective Stool Collapse, Lawsuit Alleges

A defective stool sold by Ross Dress for Less led to a Las Vegas man’s death, according to a new lawsuit.

Jude Anthony Sanchez, 76, died last August, nearly a month after falling while using the stool, a lawsuit filed by his estate against the discount chain, as well as fashion brand Juicy Couture, has alleged.

When Sanchez stepped on the stool to get out of his truck’s bed on July 30, 2025, the platform “collapsed, causing him to fall to the ground from the bed,” the lawsuit said, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Sanchez later died on August 23. The Clark County coroner’s office said the manner of death was accidental and the cause of death was complications from multiple rib fractures, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

The Independent has reached out to Ross Stores, Inc. and Juicy Couture’s parent company, Authentic Brands Group, for comment.

Ross Dress for Less is the largest off-price clothing and home goods chain in the US with nearly 2,000 locations. Juicy Couture, best known for its velour tracksuits, also sells jewelry, handbags, perfumes and home decor.

Sanchez’s estate is suing for wrongful death, negligence, strict liability and breach of warranty.

The estate is seeking general and special damages totaling more than $15,000 each, as well as compensation for medical care and treatment costs, attorney’s fees, and court costs.