North Carolina Man Wins $4 Million in Damages After Slip and Fall Accident in Parking Lot.

Like any other kind of clothing, shoes are made to serve a practical purpose.  On the other hand, many people today, especially women, believe that shoes are more about style than utility.  In fact, many women will wear uncomfortable footwear, such as high heels, for the sake of fashion.

When the concept of a shoe was first utilized by mankind, style was probably far from an important objective.  Instead, shoes were meant to protect the feet from cold, heat and many kinds of injury.

Unfortunately, no shoe has been manufactured that naturally gives total balance and stability to the wearer.  There are cleats and boots, both of which are designed to better grip the surface beneath the shoe.  But even these designs cannot prevent injury from happening.

Slip and fall accidents are extremely common in the United States, and account for more than 1 million visits to the emergency room.  Of those million, nearly 17,000 die from traumatic head injuries or other serious health problems.   These accidents are usually caused by a neglectful homeowner or business owner who fails to clean off their sidewalk, driveway, steps or parking lot.  In each scenario, the owner or proprietor may be liable for monetary damages paid to the victim of a slip and fall injury.

In 2013, Robert Burke was attending a basketball game in Charleston City, North Carolina.  According to the Post and Courier, Robert and his wife, Jane, were attending the game together and parked in a city lot on George Street.  Charleston College was playing a game in their gymnasium and the couple was going to watch it.

As the Burkes were walking through the parking lot, Robert tripped and fell on a concrete barrier.  He was between two cars when he fell.  As a result of his fall, he sustained serious injuries that required weeks of hospitalization and a prolonged rehabilitation.  He also needed to have his knee replaced.

According to a lawsuit filed by the Burkes against the City of Charleston and the Republic Parking company, Burke also suffered internal bleeding and kidney failure because of the accident.  Jamie Khan, the lawyer for the Burkes, argued at trial that the City should be held responsible for Mr. Burke’s serious injuries and permanent disfigurement.

After a brief deliberation, a Charleston-County jury awarded the Burkes $4 million in personal injury damages.

This entry was posted in Boston Accident Lawyer, Boston Personal Injury Lawyer, Boston Premises Liability Lawyer, Boston Slip and Fall Lawyer. Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.