Girl burned by pizza in 2001 receives $1,875 settlement

CANTON — A Gouverneur girl burned by pizza sauce in 2001 has been awarded a $1,875 settlement.

Deni Jo Yerdon, of 3584 Route 58, Gouverneur, on behalf of her daughter, Shady M. Yerdon, now 15, filed suit against Kmart Corp. in August 2007. Her daughter, then 7, suffered second- and third-degree burns to her right hand and fingers Sept. 19, 2001, when she was given "scalding hot pizza sauce in an inadequate square container," the lawsuit states.

The incident happened at a Little Caesar's pizza stand in the Watertown Kmart store.

The lawsuit originally was filed in February 2004 seeking $750,000 in damages, but later was dropped because Kmart was in bankruptcy. The suit was revived when Kmart emerged from bankruptcy.

State Supreme Court Judge David R. Demarest approved the settlement, St. Lawrence County clerk records show. Miss Yerdon will receive $1,384.54, with $690.46 going to Gouverneur attorney Henry J. Leader, who prepared the lawsuit.