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SKETCHES OF COURT: Judge finds both parties liable in slip-and-fall trial

July 28, 2017 By Alba Acevedo Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Court sketch by Alba Acevedo
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In this courtroom sketch, Hon. Richard Velasquez listens as plaintiff’s attorney Michael Glynn (standing), of the law firm Mirman, Markovits & Landau, addresses the jury during summations in the slip-and-fall trial Alexander v. New York City Housing Authority. Cassandra Rohme (at right), of the law offices of corporation counsel Zachary Carter, represented the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). At issue was the determination of liability.

Melrose Alexander claims to have been seriously injured in a fall allegedly caused by the condition of a poorly maintained sidewalk adjacent to a housing development at 380 Lexington Ave. in Brooklyn in June 2011. Alexander was not a resident of the development. 

Glynn faulted NYCHA for negligence in its duty of care to properly inspect the area of the implicated 10-inch-long sidewalk crack. Rohme disputed both the location of the fall and the allegation of a dangerous condition. Rohme further maintained that the city had no notice of a sidewalk defect.

The jury determined that the sidewalk was not in reasonably safe condition. In determining the extent of liability however, the jury attributed 30 percent negligence to NYCHA, and found Alexander 70 percent responsible for causing her own accident. 

The jury was disbanded due to scheduling issues, and the damages phase of the trial in Kings County Civil Term is adjourned until a later date. 

 

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