Hunting Club Incident

$2,000,000.00 Settlement

Hunt Club Patron Recovers $2 Million Over Deer Stand Collapse

Premises Liability – Hunt Club Deer Stand Collapsed – Paraplegia – $2 Million Settlement

Type of action: Personal injury/premises liability

Injuries alleged: T-1 burst fracture resulting in paraplegia

Name of case: John Doe v. Hunting Club

Court/county: Confidential

Case no.: Confidential

Tried before: Mediation

Name of mediator: Robert Beason

Special damages: Medical expenses of $325,000

Verdict/settlement: Settlement

Amount: Present value of $2,000,000

Date obtained: June 2005

Demand: n/a

Offer: n/a

Experts: Michael Sutton, accident reconstruction; Bruce Holt, life care planner

Insurer: Confidential

Plaintiff’s attorneys: Douglas Abrams of Abrams & Abrams, PA, Raleigh; and Joseph T. Edwards of Edwards & Edwards, LLP, Greenville

Person submitting: Joseph T. Edwards

Description: Plaintiff, a 54-year-old patron of a hunting club, suffered a T-1 burst fracture and resulting paraplegia when a wooden deer stand in which plaintiff was sitting suddenly collapsed, causing plaintiff to fall approximately 30 feet. Plaintiff alleged that the hunting club was negligent in failing to properly inspect and maintain the deer stand. Defendants alleged that plaintiff assumed the risk and was contributorily negligent in failing to properly inspect the deer stand before climbing into the deer stand and in failing to wear a safety harness.