This is a list of our firm's case results in Virginia (VA) and beyond. We can't guarantee you'll receive the same results, but we can guarantee we'll work tirelessly on your behalf and try to obtain the jury verdict or settlement you deserve.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that every case is different and these verdicts and settlements, while accurate, do not represent what we may obtain for you in your case.

Hotel Guest-Glass Coffee Carafe Shatters-Hand Injury

Hotel guest suffers hand injury on hotel glass coffee carafe - Settlement with manufacturer and hotel

Staff: Richard N Shapiro, Attorney; Jackie T. Hunsburger, Paralegal; Meg G. Cudden, Legal Assistant

What Happened:  Our client was a college student attending a wedding and was staying at a Marriott hotel in Northern Virginia. He was replacing the glass carafe into a coffee maker when the glass carafe shattered in his left hand, causing a deep wound to his hand between the thumb and first finger. The plaintiff notified the hotel of the injury and went to the emergency room of a local hospital for treatment. The wound was located at the metacarpal phalangeal joint and caused a digital nerve injury, as well as a flexor tendon injury. Upon returning home in another state in New England, our client underwent hand surgery by an orthopedic surgeon to repair the digital nerve and repair te flexor digitorum longus tendon.

Following surgery, the plaintiff received physical therapy to restore function of the hand. However, the orthopedic surgeon has indicated that the plaintiff would have some stiffness and decreased strength of the hand, as well as some slight decrease in sensibility of the nerve, which would be a permanent injury. The manwho was on the verge of graduating college at the time of the injury and who later obtained a teaching position, incurred $11,000 in medical bills and approximately $3,000 in lost wages.

Legal Strategy: Our legal strategy was to pursue claims against the hotel for providing a glass coffee carafe with a known propensity to shatter and to identify and pursue a claim against the manufacturer and/or distributor for product liability on the same grounds. We conducted research and found that many of the coffee maker companies are offering metal coffee carafse or shatterproof plastic-ceramic carafes. Either of these changes will prevent the type of permanent hand injury that that happens when a glass carafe shatters while being manipulated by a user.

After making settlement demand recommendations on both the manufacturer and hotel the case was settled for $70,000 dollars, with $45,000 being paid by the manufacturer and $25,000  being paid on behalf of the Marriott franchise owner.

Awarded: Hand Injury Settlement/Glass Coffee Carafe Shatters-Hotel Guest

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a Virginia (VA) injury law firm whose attorneys focus exclusively on personal injury and accident law. We have a proven track record in the court room, and you can review our case results to see for yourself. Our attorneys have deep roots in Virginia and handle cases throughout the commonwealth including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton and Suffolk, VA. We have offices in Virginia Beach and Hampton, but we're ready to come to you anywhere in VA if you've been seriously hurt by another person's carelessness. 

Virginia injury lawyers Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been recognized as among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Shapiro and Lewis have also been selected by the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009. Rick and Jim have been named Virginia Super Lawyers for Personal Injury Law since 2010, making them among the 5 percent of lawyers so honored. In addition, we were the first injury law firm in Virginia to join Primerus, a select group of highly ethical and respected law firms. Our Virginia Beach accident injury firm has the highest rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell, a national lawyer ranking organization, which means we have a reputation for preeminent legal skill. 

We alsooffer free special reports and edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard and Norfolk Injuryboard blog sites as a public information service.

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer free initial confidential consultations, so call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to the high call volume, please leave a voicemaul and we will get back to you shortly.