NEW ORLEANS – A New Orleans man is suing a local stadium for injuries he claims to have received while attending a professional football game.
John Gardner filed suit against Louisiana Superdome in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court on July 17.
Gardner claims he was attending a New Orleans Saints game at the Dome in December 2011 when he slipped on the steps while walking down them and fell. The plaintiff alleges that the stairs became slippery due to a substance spilled on them. Gardner asserts the he received severe and disabling injuries in the fall including multiple bruises, contusions, abrasions, soft tissue injuries, permanent internal injuries and strain, sprain and subluxation to the entire body. In addition, the plaintiff claims the fall resulted in a head injury, severe and permanent headaches, emotional upset and distress, shock, dislocation of a knee cap, bulging of the lumbar discs and herniation of a disc.
The defendant is accused of failing to discover a hazard, allowing a hazard to exist, failing to provide safe surroundings, failing to inspect properly, failing to properly police premises, failing to warn of the hazard, failing to properly discharge duties imposed by law, failing to place warning devices around hazard, failing to ensure proper maintenance, failing to provide safe stairs to traverse, allowing a hazard to to remain for an extended period of time, failing to post an usher to monitor or clean up the spill and failing to clean up an accumulation of water.
An unspecified amount in damages is sought for medical expenses, pain and suffering, residual disabilities, mental anguish, emotional upset, loss of enjoyment of life, rehabilitation and support care.
Gardner is represented by Benjamin J. Birdsall of the New Orleans-based Birdsall Law Firm, Inc.
The case has been assigned to Division A Judge Tiffany G. Chase.
Case no. 2012-07014.