$4,900,000 Settlement
Premises Liability – Slip and Fall on Defective Staircase
Shulman & Hill secured a $4.9 million settlement for a client who suffered serious injuries after falling on a defective staircase in a Brooklyn residential building.
Premises Liability
Slip and fall on defective staircase
Supreme Court
State of New York, Kings County
Settlement
$4.9 million
Alex Shulman & J.J. Hill
Shulman & Hill
The Case
The plaintiff was injured after slipping and falling on a loose, wobbly tread on a basement service staircase in a residential building. The defective condition caused the plaintiff to fall down the staircase and suffer serious injuries.
The injuries required numerous surgeries and extensive medical treatment. The severity of the plaintiff's injuries and resulting medical history became a central component of the case.
The Challenge
The defense disputed the plaintiff's account of the accident and argued that the plaintiff intentionally threw himself down the stairs.
The plaintiff's motion for summary judgment was denied, leaving liability contested as the case moved toward trial. With both the circumstances of the fall and the extent of the injuries disputed, the case required careful preparation and a compelling presentation of the evidence.
The Result
At mediation, Shulman & Hill secured a $4.9 million settlement for the plaintiff despite the unresolved liability dispute and the earlier denial of summary judgment.
Counsel's command of the facts, combined with a compelling presentation of the plaintiff's surgical history and the lasting impact of the injuries, helped demonstrate the significant value of the claim.