Fall down an open hatchway; mediation $600,000

Our client fell down an open hatch inside a restaurant while she was in the process of looking for a table. The defense argued that the open hatch was surrounded by tables and that our client had to move one of the tables in order to fall, therefore they were not liable. Our client broke her leg and ankle as a result of the fall. She had to undergo surgery and then spend time in an inpatient rehabilitation facility. Eventually, she will need a knee replacement as a result of the injuries from the fall. She had to miss three months of work. Her total medical bills were $96,794. She was also evaluated to have a permanent injury to her leg from an orthopedic surgeon. In addition, she had significant scarring as a result of the surgery. After a full day mediation, the case was able to be resolved in favor of our client for $600,000.