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Neal Pratt Wins Jury Verdict for Sunday River in Chairlift Accident Case
01.01.2012
Published in November, 2011 by The Bangor Daily News: "Sunday River not responsible for chairlift injury, jury finds"
PARIS, Maine — An Oxford County Superior Court jury Monday found Sunday River ski resort not responsible for injuries to a skier who fell off a chairlift on a windy day in 2007.
Steven C. Sutton and his wife, Paula Sutton, both of Bethel, filed a civil lawsuit against the resort, claiming Sunday River was negligent in allowing the chairlift to run in high winds. On Dec. 12, 2007, Steven Sutton, now 59, was riding the Barker Mountain quad chairlift when he fell near the unloading ramp.
The 12-foot fall resulted in nerve damage for Sutton, who lost some use of his right arm and has cost him nearly $57,000 in medical expenses. He was seeking compensation for past and future medical expenses, as well as for lost earnings and pain and suffering. His wife sought compensation for loss of consortium.
Attorneys for the resort said Sunday River followed American National Standards Institute guidelines, and said Sutton's injuries stemmed from an unfortunate accident.
"There is nothing unusual about wind at the top of a mountain," attorney Neal Pratt said in his closing remarks Monday. Pratt said the resort had safety regulations in place to determine what conditions were grounds for shutting down a chairlift.
Read the complete article here.