Gilfillan Earns Not Guilty Verdict after Fall at Apartment Complex

Mitch Gilfillan, a partner at Quinn Johnston, earned a not guilty verdict following a two-day jury trial In Peoria County.  While walking to her apartment with a walker and bag of groceries, Plaintiff, a 63-year old tenant, alleged she tripped and fell in a hole covered by leaves. The 12-inch hole was next to the sidewalk and near the stair steps outside of her apartment.  Plaintiff was forced to admit her direction of travel veered off the sidewalk into the hole causing her to fall.  Plaintiff went to the ER by ambulance for a 2-night stay following the incident and underwent several procedures as a result of the fall.

Plaintiff issued a pre/mid-suit demand of $275,000 based on $95,000 in medical bills which all went to the jury. Medical testimony causally related the injuries to the fall.  The jury returned the not guilty verdict in less than an hour.