Our client was walking through a metro station in Washington, DC when she slipped on black mesh that had been hanging from an overpass and spread
out over a large area of the metro station floor for eight days. Photographs taken at the scene showed yellow accordion gates underneath the black mesh. At trial, our legal team was able to convince the jury that the positioning of the yellow accordion gates was consistent with them having been placed there by metro station employees, as opposed to having been inadvertently knocked over by metro riders. Although there was a large amount of black mesh material hanging from the underpass and spread over the floor, our legal team utilized key evidence to demonstrate that in the area where our client fell, the mesh was actually difficult to see. WMATA steadfastly denied responsibility for the accident and refused to make a settlement offer. It argued that the black mesh was an open and obvious danger that our client could have avoided, but failed to see. She fell forward, landing on her hands and knees; she sought medical treatment over the next month and then did not treat for her injuries from the fall for nearly one year. Years later, she underwent surgery for a torn meniscus in her right knee. We retained a board-certified orthopedic surgeon to review the medical chart and examine our client. Our expert testified persuasively that the fall resulted in a torn meniscus which necessitated surgery and a torn rotator cuff. Our expert testified that both injuries were permanent. At trial, our legal team was able to highlight numerous contradictions in the testimony of the Defendant’s medical expert, convincing the jury that he was a biased “hired gun”. The case proceed to trial, where the jury ruled in favor of our client and awarded her $105,000 in damages.