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Case of the Month January 2025

Parties Reach $215K Settlement Following Slip, Fall Accident at Milwaukee School Building Due to Leaking Roof

Bridges v. COA Youth & Familiy Centers Inc.

Case Type:
Premises Liability - Slip/Trip & Fall
Premises Liability - Slippery Surface
Premises Liability - Negligent Repair/Maintenance

Specific Liability:
Vocations academy employee slipped and fell on accumulated water on school building floor due to a leaking roof

General Injury:
Unspecified personal injuries

Jurisdiction:
State: Wisconsin
Circuit Court of Wisconsin, First Judicial District, Milwaukee County.

Related Court Documents:
Plaintiff's complaint: 2023 WL 11054386
Third party proceeds distribution agreement and order: 2023 WL 11066546
Order for dismissal: 2023 WL 11066545

Case Name:
Bridges v. COA Youth & Family Ctrs. Inc. et al.

Docket/File Number:
2023-CV-003892

Result Amount:
$215,000

Result Date:
November 29, 2023

Judge:
Gwendolyn G. Connolly

Attorneys:
Plaintiff: Miles G. Lindner, Lindner Law LLC, Milwaukee, WI; David J. Bischmann, Lindner Law LLC, Milwaukee, WI
Defendants: Daniel K. Miller, Grady, Hayes & Neary LLC, Waukesha, WI

Result Type:
Settlement

Experts:
Plaintiff: Not Reported
Defendant: Not Reported

Breakdown of Award:
$215,000 to plaintiff for damages

Summary of Facts:
Plaintiff Patricia Bridges was reportedly employed as a co-director of Northwest Opportunities Vocations Academy (NOVA) and was walking to a computer room in a school building that was subleased to defendant COA Youth and Family Centers Inc. from Milwaukee Public Schools when she slipped and fell on a floor that had accumulated water due to a leaking roof and/or ceiling.

The plaintiff said that she suffered personal injuries due to the accident.

In her complaint, the plaintiff named COA Youth and Family Centers and its reported insurer, defendant West Bend Mutual Insurance Company, as defendants. The plaintiff asserted that COA Youth was solely responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the COA school building, and the plaintiff claimed that COA Youth's owners and/or employees had actual knowledge that the building's roof leaked after heavy rain events and was in need of repairs.

The plaintiff asserted that COA Youth's negligence, which included failing to timely repair the leaking roof so as to cause an unreasonable hazard within the building, failing to sufficiently warn her and/or other NOVA employees of the hazardous condition and/or slippery floor and failing to implement procedures for employees to regularly inspect the school building and its floors for water leaks and/or puddles after rain events, caused her accident and resulting injuries and damages.

The plaintiff also contended the defendant's failure to maintain the safety of its premises violated the Wisconsin Safe Place Statute, Wis. Stat. Section 101.11.

The parties agreed to resolve the plaintiff's claims arising from the accident for $215,000, and sought court approval of the settlement.

The court approved the settlement terms.

Circuit Court of Wisconsin, First Judicial District, Milwaukee County.

Westlaw Citation:
2023 WL 11691901