Jeri S., a retired woman in Radcliff, Kentucky, suffered serious injury in a movie theater. The theater had stadium seating, and the steps leading toward the top of the theater were constructed in such a way that the steps rotated between wide steps and a narrow step. The steps had black carpet, there was a black handrail and the walls also were painted black. After the movie credits had finished, neither the floor lights nor the house lights were turned on. After waiting for several minutes in the dark waiting for the lights to come on, the woman got up and proceeded down the stadium stairs in complete darkness to leave. However, she lost her footing due to the dark condition and rotating step formation, falling down the steps and suffering severe injuries to her upper back, left shoulder, left leg, left knee, left foot and left ankle. An MRI of her left knee showed a meniscus tear. She required surgery and underwent extensive physical therapy. The case was settled by Cincinnati Insurance, the insurance company for the movie theater, before the lawsuit had to be filed in Hardin County, Kentucky.

Donita R.

Donita R., a young mother at the movies with her four children, was injured in a fall in the bathroom of a movie theater located in New Albany, Indiana. When the mother entered the restroom, she slipped and fell on water that was leaking from the base of a toilet. There were not any “wet floor” signs, and the ceiling was also leaking water, and there was a garbage can placed in the center of the floor to catch the water drainage from the ceiling. The young mother suffered injuries to her back and underwent extensive physical therapy. The insurance company for the movie theater refused to settle the case prior to the lawsuit being filed in Clark County, Indiana. The lawsuit was eventually settled by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, the insurance carrier for the movie theater, prior to the trial starting.