Condo Slip-and-Fall: Jury Awards Damages to Plourde

Case Background

This case arose out of a slip-and-fall accident at the Oronoke Ridge Condominium complex in Waterbury, Connecticut. On January 20, 2020, Margaux Plourde visited the property and suffered a severe fall caused, she claimed, by ice that had formed on a walkway due to a faulty downspout.

Plourde alleged that the condominium association and its property management company bore the responsibility for maintaining the premises. She claimed they failed to repair or maintain the gutter system, which caused water to flow onto the walkway and freeze, creating a dangerous surface.

The case moved through pleadings, depositions, and motions before ultimately going before a jury. Both sides presented their arguments over whether the fall was caused by negligence of the property owners and managers, or whether Plourde bore responsibility herself for failing to take proper care while walking.

Cause

Plourde’s lawsuit alleged that First Oronoke Association, Inc., which owned and managed the condominium complex, and Property Worx, LLC, which handled maintenance, were negligent. She said that on the day of her fall, she left Unit 100C, stepped onto a concrete walkway, and immediately slipped on ice that had formed because a nearby downspout leaked.

Her complaint stated that the Defendants failed to properly inspect, maintain, and repair the gutter and downspout system. She argued they failed to take reasonable steps to prevent water accumulation on the walkway, failed to keep the premises in a safe condition, and failed to warn pedestrians of the danger.