Pamela Kade* was grabbing lunch at a Golden Corral restaurant in March 2016, when she slipped on a puddle of water an employee had poured on the floor to clean something up, before leaving it unattended to fetch supplies. She fell to the floor, tearing the lateral meniscus in her left knee. Mrs. Kade had such excruciating pain that she needed three separate surgeries: an arthroscopy, a total knee replacement, and a manipulation under anesthesia.
Following this series of surgeries, she completed several courses of physical therapy. In an effort to beat back the pain and improve her ability to walk on the injured leg, Mrs. Kade also had numerous Cortisone and Orthovisc injections into her knee as part of her pain treatment. Like most people, she had to keep working, since she needed a paycheck to support herself and keep up with her mounting medical bills. She toughed it out, trying to work around her injuries, treatments, and the constant, severe pain. As she did her best to work through the pain, she knew she couldn’t keep putting more stress on a damaged knee and feared the pain would never truly go away.
Fall Victim Buried in Mounting Medical Costs
With mounting medical costs and time spent agonizing in pain, Mrs. Kade was overwhelmed, stressed, and knew she couldn’t go through this alone. That is when she decided to team up with the trial attorneys of Coker Law. The legal team at Coker Law could clearly see that Mrs. Kade had been treated unfairly and unjustly by the Golden Corral Corporation. It was their employee who poured water on the floor and failed to clean it up. That negligence directly led to Mrs. Kade’s fall and multiple injuries.
The Golden Corral Corporation spent years refusing to provide a reasonable settlement offer to help Mrs. Kade with her medical bills, her lost wages, or her ongoing pain treatments. Coker Law set out to prove her injuries were indeed due to her fall at their restaurant. The challenge for the legal team was to prove that, although Mrs. Kade had complained to her doctor about some temporary knee pain a full two years prior to her slip-and-fall incident, her significant injuries were a result of her fall at the Golden Corral. Attorneys for Golden Corral even chose to secretly video record Mrs. Kade in an effort to document that she was still able to walk and perform household chores while she was receiving treatment.
Coker Law Team Proves Injuries’ Impact
The Golden Corral defense also argued that Mrs. Kade had fully recovered after her first arthroscopy. They claimed it wasn’t until she went traveling – which they alleged included hiking – that she re-injured herself, resulting in her need for additional surgeries. While the case advanced toward trial, the Coker Law trial team prepared to address all aspects of the surveillance video. They were ready to thwart any additional claims by the defense that she had fully recovered from her injury or re-injured herself.
The Coker Law legal team’s extensive trial and litigation experience enabled them to evaluate this case and strategize the best way to present it on behalf of their client. They were able to articulate to the jury that, although the surgical procedures Mrs. Kade underwent helped her tremendously, she still suffered from daily symptoms. They showed she was limited in her functioning at work, at home, and even when trying to exercise or engage in daily tasks that were previously done with ease.
Coker Law Wins on the First Day of Trial
On the first day of trial, the Coker Law trial team had gathered enough of their own evidence and prepared their arguments so diligently that they were ready. The Golden Corral Corporation knew they were defeated immediately after the jury was selected. Before opening statements even began, the defense decided to offer another settlement, this time one that would actually cover Mrs. Kade’s medical costs and future pain treatments. That settlement amount came in at $800,000.
“This trial team worked strategically and effectively to progress the case forward to trial and hold Golden Corral Corporation responsible for their employee’s negligence,” said Fraz Ahmed, Coker Law shareholder and lead attorney on the case. “Golden Corral wasted years denying Mrs. Kade’s injuries were a result of their employee’s negligence and failing to make any reasonable settlement offers. We were proud to finally bring Mrs. Kade the resolution she deserved.”
If You’re the Victim of a Slip-and-Fall, What Should You Do?
Coker Law attorneys can help you recover financial compensation for the full amount of your losses, including medical and rehabilitation expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages or income. If you have been injured in an incident, contact our office to discuss your injuries and we will evaluate whether you have a case, and which type of claim would be appropriate to make on your behalf. To speak with a Coker Law attorney, or for more information, call (904) 356-6071. You can also click here to schedule a free consultation.
*Name changed for client privacy
Case Title: Pamela Kade v. Golden Corral Corp.
Attorneys/Staff Involved in Case: Shareholders Fraz Ahmed, Dan Iracki, Attorney Dana Jacobs, Paralegals Stephanie Hiers and Laura Page, Legal Assistant Kelly Anderson
Date of Settlement: March 3, 2020
Amount of Settlement: $800,000.00
