Fall Down Flight of Stairs
The plaintiff, a 51 year old California native, was injured when he visited New York and fell down a flight of steps at a local hotel. WRSH retained an engineer who established that the steps were of unequal risers and therefore a trip hazard, and violated the New York City Building Code. The plaintiff's accident was unwitnessed. Following his accident, he went to St. Vincent's Hospital by ambulance where he was diagnosed with bilateral quadriceps tendon ruptures, requiring surgical intervention in the form of a bilateral quadriceps tendon repair. The plaintiff remained in physical therapy in New York for one month and then returned to California. The defendants offered $25,000 at a court-ordered mediation. The matter was scheduled for trial in New York Supreme Court and settled during jury selection by WRSH associate, Michael Fitzpatrick, for $450,000.