A restaurant lighting accident injury claim has been settled for $702,000 after the parties in the case negotiated a settlement during a court hearing.
The restaurant lighting accident injury claim concerned Deidrenne Ashcraft from San Mateo in California who, on 18 June 2011, attended the Roe Restaurant on Howard Street in San Francisco to see a show by rapper Mickey Avalon.
While thirty-seven year old Deidrenne was waiting for the show to begin, a lighting tree on the stage toppled over and hit Deidrenne on her head and right shoulder. Deidrenne was taken to hospital by emergency services, where she was diagnosed with concussion, a head injury and a tear to her right Genoid labrun known as a “SLAP tear”.
Deidrenne had to undergo two years of physical therapy before the injury to her shoulder healed; during which time she developed a vestibular disorder – a condition which affects a sufferer´s balance – which has prevented Deidrenne from returning to her job as a recruiter ever since her accident.
Deidrenne made a restaurant lighting accident injury claim after seeking legal advice against the owners of the Roe Restaurant and the company from whom the lighting equipment had been hired. She alleged in her action that the lighting tree had not been secured and that there had been a failure to provide patrons with a safe environment as a result.
The two defendants denied their responsibility for Deidrenne´s injuries and claimed that they had been caused by her own actions due to being intoxicated. They also alleged that there had been no witnesses to the accident until Deidrenne´s lawyer produced a recording of the 911 emergency call after the accident which proved how Deidrenne´s injuries had been sustained.
Despite liability being established, the parties could not agree on how much compensation for a restaurant lighting accident Deidenne was entitled to. The defendants´ lawyers failed to agree that Deidrenne´s injuries would prevent her from working in the future and claimed that there was no justification for alleged future medical expenses.
The case was scheduled to be heard at the Superior Court of San Francisco County before Judge Cynthia Lee. However, as the hearing began, the two parties announced that a settlement of Deidrenne´s restaurant lighting accident injury claim had been negotiated amounting to $702,000.