Johnson, Sharon v. Royal Pines, LLC Et Al
- Court: Connecticut Superior Court, Bridgeport JD
- Case number: FBT-CV20-6099516-S
- Filed: August 21, 2020
- Judge: Hon William Clark
- Case type: T03 – Torts – Defective Premises – Private – Other
Parties Involved
- Plaintiff: Sharon Johnson
- Counsel for Plaintiff: Emily Connolly Ralabate
- Expert Witness for the Plaintiff: Kristopher J. Seluga, M.S., P.E. (CT & NY) | Gerard J. Muro, M.D. | Philip Barasch, M.D. | Maria L. Blagodatny, M.D. | Stephen Breda, M.D. | Susan M Araujo, R.N. | Ashok Praturi Sharma, M.D. | Victor M. Mejia, M.D. | Megan Louise Chin, M.D. | Jamie Dossantos, APRN | Joy Reyes, M.D. | Patrick Gagnon, APRN | Vasudha Vallabhaneni, M.D. | Christian A. Heineken, M.D. | James Thompson, M.D | Joshua C. Pollack, M.D. | Stephanie Jane Towns, PsyD |Dr. Peter McAllister. M.D. | Gary M. Crakes, PhD | Bruce J. Spiewak, AIA, Consulting Architect, LLC | Joseph V. Cassidy, P.E
- Defendant: Royal Pines LLC | Daniel Schopick d/b/a Steiber and Schopick
- Counsel for Defendant: Nicole J. Tung | Joan M Tsang | Kathryn J. Coassin | F Thomas Pachler
- Expert Witness for Defendant: Jeffrey L. Gross, MD | Carl Cianci, P.E | Dawn Cook, RN, CLCP, CNLCP
Verdict Information
- Verdict date: February 15, 2024
- Final Damages awarded to the Plaintiff: $254,564.36
About the Case
Cause
Royal Pines LLC owned the property at 572 White Plains Road in Trumbull, Connecticut. Daniel Schopick used the premises as a law office named Steiber and Schopick under a lease agreement. Schopick was responsible for inspecting, maintaining, and repairing the premises, including the interior stairwell. Sharon Johnson and others used this stairwell to conduct business with the law office.
On January 30, 2019, the plaintiff arrived at the premises to conduct business. She began to walk up the interior stairwell but tripped over the top step and fell forward, striking her head against the drywall. The plaintiff’s fall resulted from the defendants’ negligence and carelessness. She alleged that the area where she fell was not adequately lit. The defendant did not hire or employ enough staff to maintain the premises free of defects. Additionally, the defendant failed to warn others about the dangerous conditions. The defendant did not make the necessary repairs and keep the common areas clean and safe. The plaintiff further claimed the defendant failed to recognize the safety hazard created by the defective stairs’ design, construction, and maintenance.
Injury
Damages
Due to the defendants’ negligence, the plaintiff incurred costs for necessary medical care, treatment, and diagnostics. She could no longer perform daily activities without pain. Additionally, she would require future medical treatment at a significant expense. She claimed damages against the defendants. The demanded amount exceeded $15,000, excluding interest and costs.
Jury Verdict
On February 15, 2024, a Connecticut jury rendered the verdict in favor of the plaintiff in the instant trip and fall lawsuit. The jury found that defendant Royal Pines’s negligence was a substantial factor in causing harm to the plaintiff. Defendant Schopick was exonerated as the jury did not find them guilty of negligence.
The total damages came up to $299,487.48 which included $174,487.48 for past economic damages, $90,000 for future economic damages, and $35,000 for non-economic damages.
The jury attributed 85% of the negligence to Royal Pines LLC and 15% of the negligence to Sharon Johnson. Thus, the final damages awarded to the Plaintiff after taking into account the percentage of negligence was $254,564.36.
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