Williamsburg Woman Wins Slip & Fall Case

Shannon Weidemann

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A woman from Williamsburg fell and hit her head outside of a gas station in 2003 causing a brain injury. She sued the company with a slip and fall lawsuit after she was unable to return to work. Water running down from a leaky awning caused her to slip.

The plantiff's attorney's

were able to get the Miller Mart officials to admit in depositions that they knew the outside curb was dangerous. Recent medical advances were also key in showing the devastation to Ritzmann's brain, he said. And Smith said he was also able to paint the case to jurors as essentially a wrongful death suit.

Ritzmann "died and a stranger emerged to her family and co-workers," Smith said. He compared losing the ability to multitask for a businesswoman like Ritzmann to a violinist losing three fingers.

The jury awarded the victim $12.2 million which may be the largest slip and fall award ever given in Virginia. It is unknown at this time if the company will appeal the ruling.