An elderly restaurant customer suffered severe foot and ankle injuries after falling on a dangerously modified staircase at a popular Covington restaurant. After filing suit and conducting extensive discovery, Flattmann Law recovered $160,500 on behalf of the injured client and her husband.
Carla was enjoying lunch with her husband and family at a popular Covington restaurant when a
dangerous staircase design caused a serious and life-changing fall.
As Carla descended the staircase from the restaurant’s second-floor dining area, she used the
handrail for support. Unknown to her, the restaurant owner had previously modified the staircase
during construction by adding an additional step near the landing area, but failed to properly
extend the handrail to match the altered design.
Believing she had reached the landing after the handrail abruptly ended, Carla stepped forward.
Instead, her foot struck the unexpected additional stair, causing her to fall violently onto the
landing below.
Immediately following the incident, Carla experienced substantial pain and swelling in both feet
and ankles. When conservative treatment failed to relieve her symptoms, advanced imaging
revealed serious injuries to her left ankle and foot, including fractures and tendon damage.
Ultimately, Carla underwent extensive reconstructive foot and ankle surgery.
The surgery lasted more than four hours and involved multiple complex orthopedic procedures,
including tendon repair, bone grafting, fusion procedures, and placement of surgical hardware
consisting of screws and a metal plate in her foot and ankle.
Following surgery, Carla was confined to a wheelchair for months and required extensive
recovery, rehabilitation, braces, and immobilization devices. Even after surgery, she continued
experiencing pain, swelling, tingling, and mobility limitations for an extended period of time.
The emotional impact of the injury was also significant. Shortly after Carla’s surgery, her family
welcomed a new grandchild. Because of her physical limitations and confinement to a
wheelchair, Carla was unable to fully participate in those important early family moments the
way she had hoped.
After filing suit, Flattmann Law conducted extensive discovery and uncovered important
evidence regarding the dangerous condition of the staircase.
Documents obtained from the architect and builder revealed that the staircase had been
significantly modified during construction by the restaurant owner. Evidence also showed that
after Carla’s fall, the restaurant added additional lighting to the staircase area and replaced
several stair components with lighter-colored materials in order to increase visibility and
awareness of the elevation change.
The litigation further revealed concerns regarding the restaurant’s handling and documentation
of the incident following Carla’s fall.
Through discovery, expert analysis, and negotiation, Flattmann Law demonstrated that the
staircase created an unreasonable risk of harm to customers and that the dangerous condition
directly caused Carla’s injuries.
After litigation, the case ultimately resolved for $160,500.
Disclaimer:
Results vary by case and situation, and that while the stories are all 100% true, the names have been changed out of respect for our clients.
When you ask for Grady, you get Grady. At Flattmann Law, we make sure that your consultations and cases are not assigned to a junior associate. Grady will personally be on the phone with you or meet you in person to discuss your individual situation. We will represent you not only as your attorney, but also as your neighbor.
Our legal library is full of articles on a variety of topics related to personal injury claims in Louisiana. Learn about how accidents happen, what to do when you are a victim, and how an attorney can help you fight for the compensation you may deserve.
