He was gambling when his chair fell over; now he’s suing a Biloxi casino
South Mississippi casinos face lawsuits for all sorts of reasons.
Cases filed in Harrison County courts often involve slip-and-falls, with patrons claiming they were seriously injured when they slipped on liquid. But the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Biloxi is being sued over a wayward chair.
South Carolina resident George Powell said he was sitting at a slot machine when “the chair fell and threw (him) to the floor,” injuring him.
His attorney, Willie T. Abston of Flowood, has filed a lawsuit in Harrison County Circuit Court against Hard Rock and the chair’s manufacturer, Modern Gaming Inc. Powell is seeking an unspecified amount to compensate him for his injuries and also wants punitive damages, which are designed to punish an offender for willful misconduct.
The lawsuit says Hard Rock was negligent in making sure conditions were safe for patrons and Modern Gaming failed to make and test the chair for safety.
Hard Rock and Modern Gaming have not yet had time to respond to Powell’s lawsuit, which represents only one side of the story.
Lawsuit details injuries
Powell said his right shoulder hurt when asked if he was OK after the fall. A maintenance person, the lawsuit says, took away the chair and Powell retreated to his room to rest.
But he says he later took a taxi to a nearby hospital, then Merit Health in Biloxi, because his shoulder was swelling.
He said that he suffered trauma to his shoulder, his right arm and “his body as a whole.”
The incident was also emotionally traumatic, the lawsuit says, causing Powell stress and mental anguish that continues to cause suffering.
