Case Background

On the morning of February 20, 2021, Juan Cartagena visited the premises at 439 Fairview Avenue in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He entered as an invitee and walked through the driveway area, which Atlantic Coleman, LLC owned and controlled. At around 11:00 a.m., he slipped on a patch of ice that had not been salted, sanded, or cleared. The fall left him with painful injuries and led to a lawsuit that tested the duty of a property owner to maintain safe conditions for visitors.

Juan Cartagena filed his complaint on October 27, 2021, arguing that Atlantic Coleman had been negligent in failing to remove ice, in failing to warn of the danger, and in neglecting routine inspections of the property. He claimed that his fall left him with lasting injuries, medical expenses, and a diminished quality of life. Atlantic Coleman denied responsibility and filed a special defense stating that Cartagena’s own carelessness caused or contributed to his accident.

Cause

The lawsuit centered on negligence. Cartagena claimed that Atlantic Coleman, LLC, through its agents and employees, had failed in its duty to maintain the premises in a reasonably safe condition. Specifically, he alleged that the company:

• Failed to properly inspect the driveway, where a reasonable inspection would have revealed the hazardous icy condition.

• Failed to sand, salt, or remove the ice from the driveway.

• <