Gabriel Carranza vs. The Home Depot

Parties Involved

  • Plaintiff(s):Gabriel Carranza
    • Counsel for Plaintiff: Jura Andrew Hartley |  Eseigbe A Omofoma

 

  • Defendant(s):The Home Depot
    • Counsel for Defendants: Marie B. Maurice

Verdict Information

  • Verdict Date: May 13, 2024
  • Total damages awarded to Plaintiff: $368,968.71
    • Future Economic Damages: $28,302.04
    • Past non-economic damages: $127,750.00
    • Future non-economic damages: $212,916.67 

About the Case

Cause

The incident took place on July 14, 2022, at The Home Depot store located at 8250 Roscoe Blvd, Van Nuys, California. According to the complaint, Carranza was shopping at the store and, as he was exiting, tripped over a low-hanging cable wire used to connect display barbecue grills. This caused him to fall to the ground, resulting in physical and emotional injuries. The lawsuit contended that the cable wire was positioned low to the ground in an area where customers could walk, making it difficult for shoppers like Carranza to see and avoid.

The legal action alleged that The Home Depot breached its duty of care to customers by allowing this dangerous condition to exist on its premises. Carranza’s attorneys argued that the defendant either created this hazardous situation or, at minimum, knew or should have known about it through the exercise of reasonable care. They further claimed that The Home Depot failed to repair or remedy the condition, protect against harm from it, or provide adequate warning to customers.

The complaint outlined two causes of action against The Home Depot: premises liability and negligence. Both causes alleged that the defendant’s actions (or lack thereof) were a substantial factor in causing harm to Carranza and were the actual and proximate cause of his injuries. The lawsuit also included provisions for Does 1-50, allowing for the possibility of adding additional defendants as their identities and potential liability became known.

Injury

As a direct result of the fall, Carranza claimed to have suffered various injuries and damages. These included physical harm, emotional distress, past and future medical expenses, physical pain, mental suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, physical impairment, inconvenience, and anxiety. The lawsuit sought compensatory damages to cover both economic and non-economic losses stemming from the incident.

Damages

The plaintiff sought compensatory damages, which included both special and general damages, with the specific amount to be determined at trial. He also requested reimbursement for all costs associated with bringing the Negligence and Premises liability lawsuit. Finally, the plaintiff petitioned the court for any additional relief it deemed just and proper under the circumstances.

Jury Verdict

The jury awarded Carranza a total of $368,968.71 in damages. This amount was broken down as follows: $28,302.04 for future economic damages (medical expenses), $127,750.00 for past non-economic damages, and $212,916.67 for future non-economic damages. The jury also found that Carranza himself was negligent. They determined that his negligence was a substantial factor in causing his own harm. In the final assessment of responsibility, the jury assigned 90% of the fault to Home Depot and 10% to Carranza.

Court Documents:

Available upon Request