Plaintiff, a laborer, was walking down the stairs at work when he slipped and fell on wet stairs that wet due to heavy rains earlier that day. As a result of the fall, plaintiff injured his leg and back and was transported to the emergency room, where he was treated and released. Several weeks after the accident plaintiff began to feel back pain with associated numbness and tingling down his leg. Thereafter plaintiff began a course of physical therapy and ultimately underwent surgery to his lumbar spine. Plaintiff was unable to return to work as a laborer.
Defendants denied that the stairs were wet and that a hazardous or dangerous condition existed on the stairs at the time of the accident. In the alternative, defendants claimed plaintiff should have seen the water on the stairs and was partially at fault for slipping and falling.
Judd F. Kleeger, Partner, settled this matter prior to trial for $2,500,000.