PENNSYLVANIA RECORD

A Delaware couple who claims that the husband was beaten so severely by a group of

intoxicated patrons in the parking lot of a Philadelphia casino that he lost consciousness have filed a civil action against the gaming hall and its owners in state court.

The personal injury lawsuit was filed Aug. 13 at the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas by Media, Pa. attorneys Francis J. Curran, Jr. and Paul P. Gaffney, of The Curran Firm.

The plaintiffs in the complaint are Giovanni Carannante and Rossella Fevola, a husband and wife who reside in Claymont, Del.

Philadelphia-based SugarHouse Casino, SugarHouse HSP Gaming L.P. and SugarHouse HSP Gaming Prop. GP LLC are named as defendants in the action.

The lawsuit claims that on April 22 of this year, at about 2:10 a.m., while congregating with friends and family in the parking lot of the casino, located on Delaware Avenue in Philadelphia’s Fishtown neighborhood, the plaintiffs were approached and harassed by a group of people who appeared to be intoxicated, were stumbling and were screaming obscenities to the couple and their companions.

At one point, some of those in the offending group ripped open their shirts and challenged Carannante and others to a fight, according to the complaint.

“The conduct of the aforementioned harassing group of persons was loud, open and notorious, and provided notice, then and there, to SugarHouse Casino employees or security that criminal activity was afoot,” the lawsuit states.

However, the suit claims, no casino employees or security personnel ever intervened to protect the plaintiffs from the acts of the group of instigators.

The complaint goes on to state that the plaintiffs attempted to walk away from the altercation at one point, only to be further accosted by the group.

It was at this point that one or more of the aggressors ran up to, and severely beat up, Carannante, causing the plaintiff to lose consciousness, fall to the ground, bleed from his face and suffer other physical injuries, the suit states.

Carannante’s injuries included a displaced jaw fracture requiring surgical repair; facial and muscular hematomas, lacerations, abrasions, contusions, bruising, bleeding, deformity and swelling; nerve damage; trauma to the cranial nerves; numbness in his face, chin and lips; traumatic misalignment of the teeth and jaws; shoulder injuries; headaches; trauma to the ear structures; temporo-mandibular joint dysfunction; scarring, lacerations and disfigurement to the face and head; and loose and damaged teeth.

Carannante also suffered a concussion, amnesia and brain injuries, the lawsuit claims.

The complaint accuses the defendants of not doing enough to protect the plaintiffs from harm, failing to keep the property and parking lot in a reasonable and safe condition and failing to properly perform the duty of security work which it undertook.

The suit further claims that Fevola, the wife, sustained emotional distress, loss of sleep, loss of consortium, nausea and vomiting, nightmares, loss of appetite, racing heart, headaches, repeated hysterical attacks, insomnia, severe depression, stress, nervousness and anxiety as a result of her husband’s ordeal.

The suit claims that the couple has had to expend large sums of money on medical care for the treatment of their respective injuries, they have suffered lost wages and earning capacity, and they have sustained a permanent diminution of their ability to enjoy life’s pleasures.

The lawsuit contains counts of negligence/vicarious liability, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and loss of consortium.

The plaintiffs seek damages in excess of $50,000, together with costs, delay compensation, unspecified punitive damages and other court relief.

A jury trial has been demanded.

 

The case ID number is 120801143.