PHILADELPHIA – A SugarHouse Casino customer injured in a poker room accident caused by another patron, has filed legal action against the casino for negligence and other charges along with her husband.
Betty Bunch and James Bunch of Philadelphia filed suit in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas on Aug. 23 versus SugarHouse HSP Gaming, LP (doing business as “SugarHouse Casino”), also of Philadelphia.
On Dec. 18, 2016, Betty was a customer at SugarHouse Casino and gambling in the poker room, when a patron seated next to her fell backwards in his chair, which led him to grab Betty’s chair on the way down and caused her to fall and become injured. The suit says the cause of the other patron’s fall was visible alcohol intoxication, and that patron passed out after the incident.
According to the litigation, the casino was negligent in not having enough staff on hand, not properly training its staff to avoid overserving patrons into intoxication failing to take reasonable measures to prevent injury to the plaintiff and in violating the Dram Shop Act, among other charges.
In the accident, Betty suffered serious and permanent injuries, including a left hip sprain and strain, right knee sprain and strain and a right ankle sprain and strain, as well as aches, pains, mental anxiety and anguish, and a severe shock to her entire nervous system.
For counts of violating the Dram Shop Act and loss of consortium, the plaintiffs are seeking damages in excess of $50,000.
The plaintiffs are represented by Brandon A. Swartz and Sarah R. Nayeem of Swartz Culleton, in Newtown.
Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas case 170802250
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nickpennrecord@gmail.com