Fullerton Beck Partner Eileen Becker, Managing Partner of the firm’s Connecticut office, obtained a defense jury verdict in New Haven Superior Court in a trip and fall case where the defendants were not covered by liability insurance and would have been personally responsible for any liability and damages.
The defendant owned a condominium rented by a husband and wife and where the wife’s ill father was staying. The plaintiff worked for a home healthcare company that the couple was considering hiring to care for the father and was at the house for a consultation.
Upon entering the garage, the plaintiff tripped and fell and fractured her shoulder, which required total shoulder replacement surgery and prohibited her from working for several months. She claimed the step into the property was defective and described it as too steep and uneven with the hallway.
Despite being at the property to evaluate it, Eileen established that the plaintiff was not looking where she was going as she entered the room. While the plaintiff claimed that the step was hidden by the door to the room, Eileen was able to establish that the door was open when she entered. The jury concluded that the defendant was not negligent in her care and maintenance of the property.
As a result, the jury returned a defendant’s verdict in favor of our client and against the plaintiff. This demonstrates not only Fullerton Beck’s litigation and trial skills but also our clients’ confidence in our legal counsel, especially when the stakes are high with no insurance coverage to pay the damages.