A Philadelphia jury deliberated for only five minutes before entering a defense verdict in favor of Eamon Merrigan’s client, concluding that the plaintiff failed to prove negligence. Plaintiff claimed to have tripped and fallen as a result of a raised lip on a metal utility plate located on Mr. Merrigan’s client’s sidewalk. As a result, the 72 year old plaintiff fractured her right shoulder. Mr. Merrigan successfully argued that his client’s sidewalk was otherwise pristine, and that the raised lip that the plaintiff claims that she tripped on was a design element of the utility plate, and not a defect. The jury quickly agreed with Mr. Merrigan’s argument.
Philadelphia Jury Returns Defense Verdict After Just 5 Minutes of Deliberation
