Addie Smith Missouri Cases

Addie Smith sued Zion Travelers Missionary Baptist Church for damages under a premises liability theory after she fell and sustained injuries. The trial court denied Smith's motion to amend her petition to include an alternate theory of injury involving a defective door, and subsequently granted summary judgment in favor of the Church. The appellate court reversed both orders, finding the trial court abused its discretion by denying the motion to amend, which resulted in severe hardship to Smith and no undue prejudice to the Church. Consequently, the grant of summary judgment was also reversed, and the case was remanded for further proceedings.