CSK Defense Team
West Palm Beach Partner Lee Cohen
West Palm Beach Associate La'Tiara Calloway
Orlando Partner Scott Shelton
Case Summary
This case arose from an incident at a St. Lucie County condominium property in which the Plaintiff claimed that an elevator suddenly dropped two floors, causing injuries to the ankle, shoulder, and back.
The Plaintiff claimed that the Defendant condominium association, CSK’s client, and the Defendant property management company failed to properly maintain the elevator and were responsible for the resulting injuries and damages. The Plaintiff sought approximately $200,000 in past medical expenses and an additional $350,000 in future medical expenses.
Defense Strategy
The CSK Defense Team presented evidence that the condominium association acted reasonably in maintaining the property and had followed appropriate maintenance practices. The defense also emphasized that the association had no prior knowledge of an elevator condition requiring corrective action.
Despite several challenging rulings during trial, the Team remained focused on the Plaintiff’s negligence claim and whether the evidence established that CSK’s client had failed to act reasonably or had notice of a condition requiring further action.
Outcome
The jury found that neither the condominium association nor the property management company was negligent, resulting in a complete defense verdict and eliminating the need to consider damages.
The result underscores the importance of documented maintenance practices and evidence concerning a property owner’s knowledge of a potentially hazardous condition when evaluating liability in premises cases.
Special Thanks
Orlando Paralegal John Dill
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