Case Background
In a civil lawsuit filed in the Superior Court in Hartford, Connecticut, Jerrod Kerr sued his former landlord, Symone Morrison, for injuries he sustained in a slip-and-fall accident. The incident occurred on January 5, 2022, at approximately 8:30 a.m., at a three-family apartment house located at 142-144 Francis Avenue in Hartford. According to the complaint, Mr. Kerr, a tenant at the property, was walking at the end of the driveway when he slipped and fell on ice. He attributed his injuries and losses to Ms. Morrison's negligence and carelessness as the landlord in control of the property.
Cause
Mr. Kerr's complaint accused Ms. Morrison of several acts of negligence that caused his fall. He claimed she failed to maintain the driveway in a reasonably safe condition by not removing ice and not applying sand, salt, or other abrasive materials. The complaint also stated that she failed to inspect the driveway for ice, failed to warn people of the icy conditions, and failed to hire competent help for snow and ice removal. Additionally, Mr. Kerr alleged that Ms. Morrison failed to fix depressions at the end of the driveway that were capable of holding pooled water or ice.
Injury
As a result of the fall, Mr. Kerr suffered significant injuries. The complaint listed a displaced Maisonneuve's fracture of his right leg, a right proximal fibular fracture/deltoid ligament disruption, a displaced spiral metadiaphyseal fibular fracture, and a fracture of the anterior tibial plafond/anterior colliculus of the medial malleolus. He also experienced pain in his left knee and hip. The complaint noted that he became sore and disabled, and he suffered from ongoing pain, discomfort, and limited motion. He asserted that some of his injuries were permanent in nature and would require future medical treatment and expenses.
Damages Sought
Mr. Kerr sought monetary damages for his injuries and losses. The statement of the amount in demand indicated that the damages sought were greater than $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs. He also claimed he had incurred expenses for medical care, attention, X-rays, and pharmaceuticals, and that it was probable he would require future medical treatment and expenditures.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
Legal Representation
Plaintiff(s): Jerrod Kerr
Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Sarah N. Mather
Experts for Plaintiff: Shelma Morales | Samantha Keithline | Robert Cronin | Elizabeth Rose Robinson | Alexander Lawrence Hart | Renee Paviovich | John J. O’Brien | Angela D. Qualey | Brennan Moriarty | Alexis Ouellette | Tammy Barbagallo | Emma Rigdon | Matthew Levasseur | Stephanie Tena | Bianca Sharp | Raymond J. Sullivan | David Y. Chung | Michael R. Antonell | Kevin Kasner | Piros Mar | John C. Grady-Benson | Vivek Chadayammuri | Kadia Myers | Elizabeth Hardy | Donna Nelson | Lauren Mazzonna | Feggeann S. Jackson | Amy Gonzalez | Glacia Johnson | Shanta Griffiths | Judith Perry | Terri McCahill | Robert Sarfo
Defendant(s): Symone Morrison
Counsel for Defendant(s): Thomas G. Egan
Key Arguments or Remarks by Counsel
Mr. Kerr's complaint alleged that as the landlord, Ms. Morrison had a duty to exercise reasonable care to keep the driveway in a safe condition, free of ice and snow. He argued that she either knew or should have known about the ice on the driveway before his fall. The complaint detailed several ways in which he believed she was negligent, including her failure to remove the ice, apply abrasive materials, inspect the property, or warn tenants of the danger.
Claims
The lawsuit centered on the claims of negligence, arguing that Ms. Morrison's failure to properly maintain the property led directly to Mr. Kerr's injuries. Specifically, the claims included:
Failure to maintain the driveway in a reasonably safe condition.
Failure to take adequate measures to remove ice.
Failure to apply sand, salt, or other abrasive materials.
Failure to inspect the driveway for ice.
Failure to warn people of the icy conditions.
Failure to hire competent help for snow and ice removal.
Failure to repair depressions in the driveway that caused water to pool and freeze.
Defense
Ms. Morrison's legal team, in their answer and special defense filed on September 20, 2023, offered a different perspective. They admitted that she was the landlord, and Mr. Kerr was a tenant. However, they pleaded insufficient knowledge for many of the key allegations, including those regarding the duty of care, the existence of ice, and her alleged negligence. They demanded strict proof of these claims at trial. The defense raised a special defense asserting that any injuries Mr. Kerr sustained were caused, in whole or in part, by his own negligence. They argued that he failed to pay proper attention to the conditions where the incident occurred and, despite being in the best position to know about any defective condition, he failed to recognize it or notify the property owner.
Jury Verdict
After hearing the case, the jury delivered its verdict on July 30, 2025. The jury found in favor of the Plaintiff, Jerrod Kerr, and against the Defendant, Symone Morrison. The jury assigned a percentage of liability to both parties, finding Ms. Morrison 60% liable and Mr. Kerr 40% liable for the incident. The jury awarded the following damages:
Total economic damages: $76,736.69
Total noneconomic damages: $400,000
This brought the total damages to $476,736.69.
Taking into account Mr. Kerr's own percentage of liability, the final award was calculated by multiplying the total damages by the Defendant's percentage of liability. The final award to Jerrod Kerr was $286,042.01.
