Premises Liability Group Scores Another Defense Verdict for Casino Client

(May, 2019)  Lawrence Kelly, Esquire, a partner in our Philadelphia Office  recently received a defense verdict after a three day jury trial in Delaware County, PA.  The plaintiff was a patron at our client’s casino when she alleges she was injured due to the negligence of one of the casino’s employees.  According to the plaintiff, as she was walking near a blackjack tournament that had temporary stanchions set up, the blackjack dealer , after some brief conversation, told the plaintiff she was allowed to duck under the stanchion to enter the tournament.  As captured by the casino surveillance video, plaintiff attempted to go under the stanchion and, in the process, lost her balance and fell.  Thereafter plaintiff got up, refused medical attention, and continued to gamble that evening.  Subsequently, she alleges she discovered that she suffered a torn medial meniscus as well as a herniation in her low back.

The blackjack dealer had no recollection of the events that evening.  However, she testified that she would never instruct a patron to duck under a stanchion strap as doing so would subject her  to disciplinary action.  The jury returned a unanimous verdict in favor of our client.