Glenda Mayze vs. Park Wind Apartments

Case Background

On November 21, 2022, Plaintiff  Glenda Mayze filed a Slip and fall lawsuit in the Mississippi State, Hinds County Superior Court(Case number: 22cv743). This case was assigned to Eleanor F. Peterson.

Cause

A premises liability incident occurred on July 29, 2022, at Park Winds Apartments in northwest Jackson. Resident Glenda Mayze walked to her car around 9:00 PM during rainy and dark conditions. The property owner had failed to maintain adequate lighting on the premises, creating unsafe conditions. The dangerous condition centered on a v-shaped depression in the sidewalk. A broken downspout caused water damage, which created this hazardous condition on the premises. The accumulation of rainwater obscured clear visibility of the unsafe property. Mayze observed the visible depression and attempted to navigate around it. While doing so, she stepped into a concealed hole adjacent to the sidewalk, which the standing water had hidden. This premises accident led to an immediate injury when she twisted her knee in the fall.

Injuries

The slip-and-fall accident resulted in Mayze sustaining a severe meniscal tear. The premises liability injury necessitated professional medical intervention. Dr. Chad Hosemann, an orthopedic specialist, evaluated the slip-and-fall injury and determined that surgical repair was the best treatment option. He performed the necessary surgical procedure to address the property-related injury. The property accident caused such significant damage that Dr. Hosemann concluded Mayze would require a future total knee replacement. The severity of this premises liability case demonstrated the serious consequences of negligent property management.

Damages

The unsafe property conditions led to substantial medical expenses in this premises liability lawsuit. Mayze incurred $30,378 in medical bills for the initial treatment and surgical intervention. The anticipated future knee replacement surgery added an estimated $30,000 to the total damages. The property damage lawsuit sought comprehensive compensation for both past and future medical care. When presenting to the jury, Mayze’s legal team pursued a total premises liability claim of $1,000,000 to address all damages from the hazardous condition.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

Legal representation

  • Plaintiff(s): Glenda Mayze
    • Counsel for Plaintiff: Ashley Ogden
  • Defendant(s):Park Wind Apartments
    • Counsel for Defendants:George E. Abdo, III | Thomas Julian

Claims

Mayze filed a slip and fall lawsuit against Park Wind Apartments based on multiple instances of property owner negligence. The legal claim cited the property management’s failure to maintain safe premises. Kenneth Goodrum, a premises safety expert from Jackson, provided critical testimony about the dangerous conditions. He revealed that residents had previously reported the unsafe property conditions to management earlier that year. The premises liability expert highlighted three major failures: inadequate maintenance of the sidewalk, insufficient lighting throughout the property, and failure to warn residents about known hazards. The property owner’s negligence in addressing the broken downspout directly contributed to creating the dangerous condition that caused the slip-and-fall accident. The case presented clear evidence of ongoing negligent property management that led to unsafe premises and ultimately resulted in serious injury.

Defense

The defense team for Park Wind Apartments actively contested this premises liability claim on multiple grounds. They argued that Mayze assumed the risk when she chose to navigate the property during adverse weather conditions. The property management team maintained they had exercised reasonable care in property maintenance and property safety measures. Their defense strategy emphasized that the heavy rainfall that evening created naturally hazardous conditions beyond their immediate control. The property owner’s legal team disputed the causation element, arguing that Mayze’s injury occurred not from the documented sidewalk depression, but from her voluntary decision to step off the designated walkway.

The defense further contested the extent of the premises liability damages. They questioned whether the future knee replacement surgery was directly related to this specific slip-and-fall accident or stemmed from pre-existing conditions. Their medical expert testified that Mayze’s injury showed signs of degenerative changes that predated the premises accident. The property management team produced evidence of their standard safety protocols, including regular lighting maintenance and prompt response to tenant complaints about unsafe property conditions. They argued that the lighting met local building codes and industry standards for apartment complexes.

Regarding the broken downspout, the defense presented documentation showing they had scheduled repairs prior to the incident, demonstrating their commitment to property maintenance. They contended that Mayze, as a resident familiar with the property, knew or should have known about the general condition of the premises. The defense team emphasized comparative negligence, arguing that Mayze’s choice to navigate around the visible hazard in dark and rainy conditions contributed significantly to her premises injury. They disputed the claims of inadequate warnings, pointing to general cautionary signage posted throughout the property about wet conditions.

Jury Verdict

On September 18, 2024, the jury delivered a substantial verdict in favor of the plaintiff, Glenda Mayze. The jury recognized the full extent of the slip-and-fall damages by awarding $60,378 for past and future medical expenses, which encompassed both the initial surgical repair and the anticipated knee replacement surgery. The jury further acknowledged the significant impact of the premises accident on Mayze’s life by awarding an additional $816,001 for pain and suffering damages. The total slip and fall lawsuit award amounted to $876,379.

Court Documents:

Available Upon Request