Westmoreland County Jury Awards $19 Million to Paralyzed Personal Injury Victim

$19,000,000 Verdict in Pittsburgh Area Premises Liability Case

NG, a 21 year old male, was invited to his best friend’s home for a summer holiday party. As on prior visits, activities would include swimming in the family pool. Prior to the party, the homeowners had retrieved a raft that was purchased and intended for the purpose of towing behind a boat at speeds up to 50 mph, an activity known as tubing. The raft contained a square box warning prohibiting diving onto the raft. That warning was covered by the homeowners with the cover utilized for tubing. The raft was placed in the pool and both the husband and wife homeowners testified that they knew the boys jumped from the diving board onto the raft and they permitted that activity.

During the party, NG jumped from the diving board, struck the raft and was projected into the water where he hit his head on the bottom of the pool, broke his neck and became paralyzed from the chest down. The insurance carrier for the homeowners never made an offer to settle the personal injury case because of their belief that NG was most at fault for his injuries. Following a week-long trial, a Westmoreland County jury rendered the largest verdict in the County’s history, $19,000,000.