Premise Liability: In May 2012, Stewart A. Sutton negotiated a settlement for a client whose vehicle was damaged when it hit a large rock while entering a shopping center in Rockville. The shopping center’s entrance was a tight right turn from the main road. The shopping center had placed a large rock next to the sidewalk cutout to channel errant vehicles off the landscaping. An 18-wheel truck had driven over the landscaping and pushed this 400 pound rock into the entrance-way. When the client’s vehicle rounded the entry’s sharp curve, its right tire drove over the rock and the car became stuck on the rock. The vehicle suffered extensive damage to its undercarriage. Stewart A. Sutton was retained after the insurance carrier for the shopping center denied liability. Practice pointer for clients: It always helps to take photographs of the accident scene.
