Connecticut Jury Clears Owner in Bracero Injury Lawsuit

Case Background

A Connecticut jury sided with a property owner in a personal injury lawsuit, concluding a two-year legal battle that began after a delivery driver claimed he was injured on the Defendant’s property. The case stemmed from an incident on May 12, 2021, when Plaintiff Mario Bracero, a resident of Bridgeport, visited a property at 21 Jencks Street in East Hartford, which a business owned by Defendant Peterrill Guthrie controlled. As a business visitor, Bracero was on the driveway to deliver a package when he tripped and fell, suffering injuries. The complaint, which Bracero filed in April 2023, stated that the property owner had a duty to maintain the premises in a safe condition but had failed to do so, leading to his fall.

Cause

Bracero brought a claim of negligence against Peterrill Guthrie, alleging that the company had a duty to keep the premises safe. Bracero’s complaint claimed his injuries were a direct result of Guthrie’s carelessness. The lawsuit detailed the alleged failures, stating that the Defendant had failed to maintain the property's driveway in an orderly manner and had permitted a dangerous and defective condition a pothole to exist. Bracero further claimed that Guthrie had not repaired the pothole despite having e