Local Nurse Receives $100,000 Slip-and-Fall Verdict

On October 17, 2018 a Butler County jury returned a verdict of $100,000.00 in favor of Plaintiff, Honda Huster, and against Defendant, Household Housekeeping Systems, LLC (HHS). Plaintiff sustained a slip and fall while working at the old Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Defendant HHS had a contract to clean the floors of the old hospital; the Defendant is a national corporation having maintenance contracts with 400 hospitals in 35 states as well as other businesses. Plaintiff was an RN on the Labor and Delivery floor of the old hospital when she fell after entering a soiled linen room that had just been wet-mopped. Plaintiff landed on her knee and ultimately had to have a knee replacement.

At trial, Senior Partner, Stephen E. Walsh, stressed the issues of the case to the jury: there was a failure to train and supervise housekeepers; failure to use—per company policy—the thinner Swiffer mops as opposed to the old string loop mops; and, failure to follow the company policy to put wet floor signs on the outside of the door and inside the room. The housekeeper only placed one wet floor sign outside the room.

The pre-trial offer at mediation was $2,000.00. "The low-ball offer from Defendant made the decision to go to jury trial a very easy one" said Steve Walsh. We had subpoenaed the safety officer for the Defendant for a deposition which including subpoenaing all of the training and safety manuals used in the business. He did not bring one sheet of paper to the mediation. That was telling.

The October 2018 trial was the only civil trial tried at the Butler County Courthouse during the calendar year for 2018. Walsh went on to say, "My client, Honda, was very pleased with the jury result; she certainly hopes that this verdict will bring some changes in the way HHS conducts their business—putting the safety of hospital employees and visitors above all else."