Senior Counsel John C. Ellis and Partner Edye A. Hill Obtain Defense Verdict In Premises Liability Trial

Facts: The matter arose out of a premises liability accident of disputed liability. Plaintiff asserted claims of Premise Liability Negligence and Negligence Per Se arising from allegations that the stairs at the subject property were a dangerous condition. Defendant claimed that the stairs were not defective. The Court granted Defendant’s Motion in Limine, written by Ms. Hill, which limited the testimony of the County Building Inspector so that any opinion testimony about alleged Building Code violations was precluded from trial. Mr. Ellis was trial counsel and after the liability and causation phases of trial, the jury returned with a complete defense verdict with a finding that the defendant was not negligent. Plaintiff was unable to make a causal connection between the site of the alleged code violations and the location of the accident.

Damages: Prior to trial, Plaintiff made a settlement demand of $150,000. Plaintiff claimed that she suffered significant injuries including loss of consciousness, cuts to the face, severe headaches, right eye swelling, neck pain, back pain and right shoulder pain. Plaintiff also sought significant loss of earning damages.