$1,000,000 settlement following trial – slip and fall on wet ramp

Falls from slips and trips are among the most common causes of serious injuries in the country.  They happen all the time and many if not most are preventable.  This is particularly true at hotels and resorts, who are very familiar with the risks their guests face.

In Florida, rain and wet surfaces are a frequent issue.  All hotels and resorts are aware that wet flooring surfaces present a risk of slipping to anyone walking.  That’s why there are certain minimum standards for slip resistance that commercial floors must meet.  Plus businesses have to be aware of the conditions when they become wet.  One industry standard is to place “wet floor” signs or cones out when there is a wet area. Another is to have non-slip mats at dangerous locations, particularly those on a slope or angle.

John Leighton and Max Panoff negotiated a $1,000,000 settlement for a young man who slipped and fell on a walkway leading up to a hotel.  The man, who regularly went to this facility, walked out of the building on a rainy day. He slipped and fell on the tile covering the ramp.  Initially he appeared to have a knee injury but that healed. Unfortunately he suffered a neck and head injury.  He sustained a herniated disc in his neck which required surgery, and suffered a delayed-onset concussive syndrome which affected his  speech.

Leighton Panoff Law proved that the tile used on the ramp was not sufficiently slip resistant and was in fact a tile to be used indoors.  There were no “anti-slip” strips or mats used, nor “wet floor signs” in place at the time.

The case was settled after a mistrial and prior to beginning a new trial.

 

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