A New Jersey woman said her luxury Hermès handbag was ruined when a waiter at a Bergen County country club spilled red wine on it.
She's now suing the privately-owned club and server for negligence, claiming that she suffered "property damage in the approximate cost of $30,000."
In the suit, filed Tuesday in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Maryana Beyder said she was dining at the Alpine County Club in Demarest in September 2018 when the waiter spilled wine "all over" her and her handbag.
Beyder says in the suit that the server, only identified as John Doe, "acted in a negligent manner" and the club is liable for her destroyed bag.
"The defendant had a duty to provide qualified and competent employees for its business and for the safety of its patrons," the suit states. It condemns the club for failing to investigate and interview employees "to confirm their qualifications and determine their appropriateness for their respective positions prior to their hire."
Alpine Country Club did not immediately have a comment on the lawsuit. Alexandra Errico, Beyder's attorney, told NBC News on Thursday that her client knows the spill was an accident, but expects the club to either replace or reimburse her for the handbag.
Errico said the light-pink purse has a sentimental value for Beyder because it was a gift from her husband for her 30th birthday. The attorney said the bag, which was discontinued by the high-end French fashion brand, is now covered in large stains.
Beyder has been trying for a year now to resolve the incident with Alpine Country Club, but they have been uncooperative, Errico said.
"You expect an establishment to pay you for your loss," she said.