Our client, a three-year old boy, was at a Portland, Oregon clothing store with his mother. Soon after arriving at the store, he asked his mother if he could use the restroom. He was following her to the restroom when he bumped into a fire extinguisher that was hanging on the wall. 
The eighteen-pound extinguisher, which was attached to the wall with only a regular wall hanger, fell, catching our client’s arm on the way down and nearly amputating his little fingers when it hit the ground.
After this terrifying accident, our client’s mother filed a claim with the store. They denied liability, on the basis of the statements of two employees who claimed that our client was running about wildly and that the mother should have been watching her son more closely. They also argued that the fire extinguisher was properly attached to the wall. If the client’s mother had been terrified by the accident, now she was angry and frustrated with the store for denying her son’s claim in this premises liability accident. She contacted us for help in settling the claim.
Because the clothing store denied liability, I filed a lawsuit and moved the case into litigation so we could fight their denial and get justice for our young client. I called in a fire safety expert who was able to confirm that the fire extinguisher was not properly attached to the wall – in fact, the way it was installed was a blatant violation of Oregon’s fire code. I didn’t stop there, though. I also deposed two former managers from the store who testified that the fire extinguisher had fallen before, and they had both suggested securing it in a properly mounted glass cabinet to avoid just such an accident as befell our client.
When I presented the former manager’s testimonies and the fire safety expert’s opinion, the clothing store changed their tune and agreed to mediate the case. I was able to negotiate an excellent settlement for our client, sparing the already stressed family a jury trial. The money won in the settlement was placed in a trust for our client’s future medical care and college expenses.
With the help of an expert personal injury attorney, our client and his family were able to recover medical expenses and get the settlement they deserved. If you’re in a similiar situation, we can help. One of our expert Personal Injury Attorneys will be happy to discuss your Oregon Personal Injury case with you. Call us now: 541-617-0555