Attorney Beckstedt Obtains Defense Verdict

Attorney Beckstedt of Beckstedt & Associates obtained a defense verdict on behalf of his client in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, Division of St. Thomas. The plaintiff allegedly sustained numerous soft tissue injuries after slipping and falling at defendant’s retail store. The plaintiff brought a negligence claim based in premises liability. Over a four day trial, excluding jury selection, the plaintiff presented her case which focused on trying to fault the storeowner’s floor maintenance and inspection practices. Evidence included surveillance video of the fall, eye witness testimony, and liability, medical and economic expert testimony. Past and future economic damages allegedly incurred by the plaintiff exceeded $250,000.00. The defense presented several employee witnesses to defend the store policies and procedures as well as rebuttal expert witnesses as to medical and economic damages. The jury received the case on the fourth day of trial and returned a verdict in favor of the defense in less than three hours.