Most slip and fall injury lawsuits are filed by patrons, neighbors or visitors claiming their host (be it a restaurant or some guy down the street) failed to properly maintain their premises. If you slip and fall and break your neck on an oil slick that Jiffy Lube failed to clean up, for example, a lawsuit against the company is routine.
Very rarely do people sue for injuries sustained in their own home. But that's just what happened when Emilia Alcala tripped and suffered serious injuries (DocStoc) to her right foot and ankle.
The culprit, she claims, is not her own clumsiness but the negligence of DirecTV Inc. affiliate Unitek USA.
Alcala placed an order to the company to have several coaxial cables installed throughout her Chicago home, including her bedroom (the scene of the accident). Well, they didn't do such a great job and the cables were installed in such a way as to create a tripping hazard.
No big deal, just call them back and have the work corrected. Right? Except she says that's not what happened. It would be interesting to see what comes out of discovery, but her complaint claims the defendant didn't fix the botched installation "after being repeatedly asked to do so by plaintiff."
If she hadn't made the good faith effort to contact the company and fix the problem, this suit probably never would have been filed.
Sure enough, she tripped and fell on the cable in her bedroom and suffered serious injuries, claiming she will "continue to experience great physical and mental pain and suffering." She also is claiming future medical expenses and lost earnings from work.
All we know is that the damages exceed $30,000, plus costs, but her Illinois injury attorney likely will take into account DirecTV's excessively deep pockets.
- General Rules for Proving Fault in Accidents (FindLaw)
- Dos and Don'ts of Personal Injury (FindLaw)
- Chicago Injury Attorneys (FindLaw)
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