A Connecticut jury returned a verdict of $2,582,952.89 in a premises liability case arising from a slip-and-fall incident in a parking garage, finding the defendants 99% at fault after just two hours of deliberation. Attorney Cassandra Hardy of The Flood Law Firm LLC in Middletown, Connecticut, represented the plaintiff and secured the award in April 2026.
Case at a Glance
- Verdict: $2,582,952.89
- Case Type: Premises Liability (Slip-and-Fall)
- Location: Middletown, Connecticut
- Verdict Date: April 2026
- Defendant: Parking garage property owner(s) (not identified in court records)
- Plaintiff Attorney: Cassandra Hardy, The Flood Law Firm LLC
- Economic Damages: $309,043.32
- Non-Economic Damages: $2,273,909.57
What Happened in This Case?
The plaintiff suffered a fractured humerus in a slip-and-fall at a parking garage. The injury required surgical intervention and may necessitate a future joint replacement, according to The Flood Law Firm.
The defendants' insurer made a final pre-trial settlement offer of $90,000. The Flood Law Firm rejected it and took the case to trial. The jury's $2,582,952.89 verdict represents nearly 29 times the defendant's last offer.
How Did the Jury Rule on Fault?
The jury assigned 99% of the fault to the defendants, a finding that reflects the strength of the evidence presented at trial. In Connecticut, a plaintiff found partially at fault can still recover damages reduced by their share of responsibility. A 1% allocation to the plaintiff in this case had minimal impact on the final award.
The verdict came after only two hours of deliberation, a timeline that signals the jury found the liability case clear-cut.
What Did the Jury Award?
The total award of $2,582,952.89 broke down into two components:
- Economic damages: $309,043.32 - covering medical expenses, future medical costs, and other out-of-pocket losses
- Non-economic damages: $2,273,909.57 - reflecting the pain, suffering, and lasting reduction in quality of life the plaintiff experienced as a result of the injury
The non-economic portion of the award accounts for more than 88% of the total verdict, underscoring how significantly the fractured humerus and its consequences affected the plaintiff's daily life.
Who Represented the Plaintiff?
Attorney Cassandra Hardy led the trial for The Flood Law Firm LLC. Hardy joined the firm in 2025 after spending several years as defense counsel for insurance companies, experience that gives her direct insight into how insurers build and evaluate cases.
Hardy earned her law degree from Quinnipiac University School of Law, graduating summa cum laude. She is admitted to practice in Connecticut and the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, and is a member of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice.
"This verdict represents not only justice for our client but also accountability for negligent property owners," a firm spokesperson said.
Why This Verdict Matters for Property Owners and Injury Victims
Parking garages present a specific category of premises liability risk. Property owners and managers have a legal duty to maintain safe conditions for visitors. When they fail, Connecticut juries have shown a willingness to hold them fully accountable.
This case also illustrates a pattern seen across high-value premises liability verdicts: insurers routinely make low initial offers, banking on plaintiffs accepting less than their case is worth. Here, the gap between the $90,000 pre-trial offer and the $2,582,952.89 verdict was nearly $2.5 million.
For attorneys handling similar cases in Connecticut, the damages breakdown and the jury's swift fault determination make this verdict a useful data point when evaluating comparable claims.
To see more plaintiff trial results from Connecticut, visit the Connecticut personal injury public resources on Major Verdict.
Find a Plaintiff Attorney With a Trial Record to Match
Verdicts like this one show what juries are willing to award when the evidence is strong and the attorney is prepared. If you or someone you love has been seriously injured in a slip-and-fall or other premises liability incident, find a Connecticut plaintiff lawyer on Major Verdict who has the trial record to back it up.
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FAQ
Q: What is the difference between economic and non-economic damages in a Connecticut premises liability case? A: Economic damages cover measurable financial losses such as medical bills, future treatment costs, and lost wages. Non-economic damages compensate for pain, suffering, and the overall impact the injury has on the plaintiff's life. Connecticut does not cap non-economic damages in most personal injury cases, which allows juries to award amounts that reflect the true severity of the harm.
Q: What does a 99% fault finding mean for the plaintiff's recovery? A: Under Connecticut's modified comparative negligence law, a plaintiff's damages are reduced by their percentage of fault. If a plaintiff is found 1% at fault, they recover 99% of the total verdict. A plaintiff assigned 51% or more of the fault cannot recover at all. In this case, the 99% fault finding against the defendants meant the plaintiff's recovery was reduced by only 1%.
Q: How are future medical costs handled in a premises liability verdict? A: Future medical expenses are typically included in the economic damages portion of a verdict when the evidence supports anticipated ongoing treatment. In this case, the plaintiff faces a possible future joint replacement, a cost that may have factored into the jury's economic damages calculation of $309,043.32.
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