Facts

Sahar Oliva was at Sapporo Seafood Buffet in Corona, California, having dinner with her daughters. Near closing time, Oliva attempted to place an order for sushi to take home for her son but had trouble due to language barrier with the buffet employee, so she went to get the manager for assistance. While Oliva was gone, an employee mopped the floor but did not put up any warning cones or signs. As Oliva and the manager returned to the buffet, she slipped on the freshly mopped floor. Oliva was taken to the hospital via ambulance where she complained of knee and shoulder pain. Eventually, she began to experience back pain.

PLAINTIFF'S CONTENTIONS: The plaintiff contended that she slipped on the defendant's wet floor; that she fell and was injured; that although she initially presented with knee pain and shoulder pain, she eventually developed lower back pain; that conservative treatment measures failed to alleviate her pain, so she underwent a spinal cord stimulator trial; and that she eventually had a permanent implant. The plaintiff contended that she would need future medical treatments to manage the implant, and that she was entitled to past and future damages.

DEFENDANT'S CONTENTIONS: The defendant denied that the plaintiff's lower back injury was related to the fall she suffered at its restaurant; that the first time she complained about back pain was four months after her fall; and that the plaintiff had only visited a physical therapist three times before undergoing the implantation procedure.

Specials in Evidence

Meds: $400,000. Future Meds: $1,000,000

Result

A jury returned a verdict in Oliva's favor, and it awarded her $806,000 for past and future medical expenses and non-economic damages.

Deliberation

The jury deliberated for one and a half days.

Poll

9-3

Length

The trial lasted for 13 days.