Jury Awards Over $8 Million to Woman Injured After Falling at an IHOP Restaurant in Florida

A Broward County jury delivered a verdict on Tuesday, ordering the franchisee of a local IHOP restaurant to pay $8,299,916.53 to a woman for injuries sustained in a fall that occurred in 2021.

According to a news release from Morgan & Morgan, on June 9, 2021, Melissa Melvin, 47, was leaving the IHOP located at 2454 North University Drive in Sunrise, when she slipped and fell on a deteriorated step outside the exit. The step, measuring only six inches deep, violated building codes mandating a minimum depth of 10 inches.

The fall resulted in a severe trimalleolar ankle fracture, affecting all three ankle bones – the distal fibula (lateral malleolus) and the medial and posterior malleolus. Attorneys for Melvin said she endured months of painful recovery, spending several weeks in a wheelchair and six months of inability to climb stairs. Additionally, they said Melvin has been unable to drive or return to work due to persistent pain and swelling, relying on a cane for mobility despite her age.

Read the source article at WSVN