$365,000 Settlement for Dangerous Condition on Property

John Molinari represented a 24-year-old woman who was the lawfully operating an off-road dirt bike on church property when she suddenly drove into a nylon rope which was strung between wooden posts on the property. The rope was used by the church to keep visitors from parking on the grass. The church argued that the rope was plainly visible, while the plaintiff’s expert argued that, based on the color of the rope and the existing lighting conditions, it was very difficult to see. The rope crushed the plaintiff’s larynx, causing her death at the scene.

The plaintiff was single with no dependents. Her pain and suffering was brief and she had a very sporadic work history. The case settled as a result of mediation for $365,000.