Partner Jenna Hackman Acquires Favorable Settlement in Mediation

Jenna T. Hackman settled a case in mediation after uncovering an extensive prior medical history of Plaintiff and arguing an inability to demonstrate notice on the part of the Defendant by the Plaintiff.

The Plaintiff slipped and fell while walking in the hallway of the hospital claiming she fell due to a “slippery, shiny unknown substance”. The fall was caught on video and we were able to observe how she fell and how she looked on the floor afterward for what caused her to fall. The Plaintiff began treatment for back and knee injuries immediately after the incident; three months later, she claimed she fell down the stairs at her home sustaining a closed head injury. She related the second fall to the first fall, claiming the weakness in her knee was the cause of her losing her balance while descending the stairs. Plaintiff ultimately underwent an anterior cervical discectomy with fusion at C4-5 with a bone graft and had a surgical recommendation on her left knee.

The Plaintiff’s medical bills were approximately $165,000.00 and she demanded the limits, $200,000.00. However, the case was settled for $5,000.00.