Los Angeles Team Obtains Favorable Verdict for Client in High-Stakes Slip-and-Fall Case

Los Angeles, Calif. (June 26, 2025) - Los Angeles Partners Demian Casey and David B. Shapiro recently obtained a favorable verdict for a property owner client in a high-stakes slip-and-fall case in which the plaintiff had sought an eight-figure award. 

In the case, the plaintiff suffered an ankle fracture after a slip and fall on the client’s property. The plaintiff, who had hardware implants placed in his ankle as a result of the slip and fall, was also diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) after the incident.  

At trial, Mr. Casey took first chair and Mr. Shapiro took second chair. The team argued split liability and disputed the plaintiff’s CRPS diagnosis. They admitted the client’s failure to use a wet floor sign but argued that the surface was slip resistant when wet and the plaintiff’s worn footwear contributed to his slip and fall. The team also argued plaintiff’s symptoms were caused by lumbar radiculopathy and the hardware implanted in his ankle, not by CRPS. Furthermore, they contended plaintiff’s lumbar spine lit up four to six months after the incident around the time he returned to the gym, which activated his pre-existing lumbar herniation.

The plaintiff, whose counsel has secured several recent eight-figure verdicts, requested over $49 million at closing. Mr. Casey asked the jury to award $1.065 million. The verdict came in at $2.336 million.