$300K Policy-Limit Stairway Fall Case Settlement
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August 12, 2026
By McCoy & McCoy
$300,000 Policy-Limit Settlement in Contested Connecticut Stairway Fall Case
The premises liability lawyers at McCoy & McCoy recently secured a $300,000 policy-limit settlement for a client injured after a stairway handrail detached from the wall while renting a home in East Hartford, Connecticut.
The case presented significant challenges from the beginning. Liability was contested, there was no incident report, and our client did not leave the scene by ambulance or go directly to the emergency room. Years later, a separate motor vehicle accident further complicated the case because it involved treatment for some of the same areas of the body.
Despite those challenges, our slip and fall attorneys continued building the evidence needed to pursue the full value of the claim.
The Stairway Fall
Our client was descending an interior staircase when they slipped and reached for the handrail. The railing detached from the wall, causing her to fall down the stairs.
At the time of the fall, she was five months pregnant.
She sought treatment two days later at an urgent care facility, where records documented that she had slipped on stairs, grabbed the railing to steady herself, and fell after the railing detached from the wall.
Injuries and Medical Treatment
Our client suffered significant back and shoulder injuries as a result of her fall. Her treatment included physical therapy, chiropractic care, pain management, steroid injections, nerve blocks, and lumbar nerve ablations.
Imaging of her lumbar spine showed an L5-S1 disc bulge and other degenerative and structural findings, while a right shoulder MRI showed tendinosis and areas of partial tearing. One of her treating physicians ultimately attributed a portion of her permanent right shoulder impairment to the fall.
Despite conservative treatment and multiple procedures, she continued to experience low-back symptoms and required ongoing care. Her treating provider projected more than $111,000 in future medical expenses related to her injuries.
A Complicated Liability Case
This was not a case where the insurance company immediately accepted responsibility. There was no incident report, no ambulance transport and no immediate emergency-room visit. In addition, a subsequent 2025 motor vehicle accident resulted in overlapping treatment for similar low-back and shoulder complaints, creating another issue that had to be addressed when establishing which injuries and treatment were attributable to the stairway fall.
The insurance company made its first settlement offer nearly four years after the fall.
The offer: $30,000.
McCoy & McCoy did not believe that amount fairly reflected the evidence or the impact of our client’s injuries.
The Evidence That Strengthened The Case
One of the most important developments came when our attorneys retained an expert to evaluate the stairway railing.
Using photographs our client had taken following the accident, the expert evaluated how the railing had been attached to the wall.
The expert concluded that the handrail had been improperly installed and identified deficiencies with how it was secured. The expert’s findings provided important evidence supporting our position regarding the dangerous condition of the stairway.
From a $30,000 Offer to the $300,000 Policy Limit
During mediation, McCoy & McCoy demanded the available $300,000 insurance policy limit. In an effort to encourage movement toward resolution, the demand was reduced to $290,000. The defense’s highest offer at mediation was just $40,000.
We continued preparing the case. After obtaining the expert’s findings, Attorney Angela M. Edwards sent a detailed settlement demand seeking the full $300,000 policy limit and addressing the potential exposure associated with failing to resolve the claim within the available coverage.
The demand explained that the firm valued the case above the available insurance coverage and offered to resolve the claim for the full $300,000 policy limit.
The case finally settled for the full $300,000 policy limit.
$30,000 First Offer to $300,000 Final Settlement
The result represents 10 times the insurance company’s initial settlement offer.
This case demonstrates why the details of a premises liability claim matter. Photographs taken after an accident, medical documentation, expert analysis and a willingness to continue preparing a contested case can all become important pieces of evidence.
A difficult case is not necessarily an unwinnable case.
Injured in a Fall in Connecticut?
Property owners and others responsible for maintaining a premises may be held liable when dangerous conditions cause serious injuries. But premises liability cases can involve disputes over how an accident happened, who was responsible for a dangerous condition and whether that condition caused the claimed injuries.
If you were seriously injured because of an unsafe staircase, defective handrail or another dangerous property condition, the Connecticut personal injury lawyers at McCoy & McCoy can evaluate your case and explain your legal options.
Call McCoy & McCoy for a free consultation. There are no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its individual facts.
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