Defense Verdict – Atlantic County Superior Court

2/7/2012
Cheeks Tunnel v. Caesar’s Atlantic City
In Cheeks Tunnel, plaintiff was lost and asked for directions from a slot technician who was operating a pallet jack on the casino floor at Caesar’s in the early morning hours. After getting the directions, plaintiff began to walk and tripped over the forks to the jack. She claimed the forks blended in with the flooring and that the slot technician did not warn her that there were forks on the jack. As a result of her fall, plaintiff sustained an ankle fracture with ligament damage and neck and back injuries.

At trial, Christopher Mauro argued that the actions of the slot technician were reasonable and that the pallet jack was open and obvious. He was also able to establish through cross examination that the plaintiff had been up for 17 hours, was tired, and was not wearing her glasses which she wore for nearsightedness.

After a two day trial before Judge Winklestein, the jury unanimously found that Caesar’s was not negligent.