This Week's Jury Verdict Pick - July 17, 2008
PREMISES LIABILITY - New York County
Plaintiff awarded $17 Million for paralyzing trip on doorway saddle.
Santa Barbara v. Migdol Realty Management, LLC
A jury awarded nearly $17 million to a man who sustained a paralyzing spinal injury after he tripped through the entrance of his Bronx residence. The plaintiff, Juan Santa Barbara, tripped on a door saddle, fell through his doorway, over a small wall and down a stairway, fracturing his spine. Santa Barbara sued his landlord, claiming that the saddle was unreasonably tall and constituted a tripping hazard. The landlord argued that the area was safe, and it also noted that Santa Barbara was intoxicated at the time of the incident. The jury assigned 70-percent liability to the landlord and 30-percent liability to Santa Barbara. It awarded $24,162,000, but that award was reduced by 30 percent, to reflect Santa Barbara's share of the fault.
Received from VerdictSearch New York
