Elizabeth Ryan Defends Churchill Downs Louisiana Horseracing Company

IADC member, Elizabeth Ryan and Andrew Stakelum, Lemle & Kelleher, LLP, New Orleans, successfully defended Churchill Downs Louisiana Horseracing Company, LLC in an 8 day jury trial in Civil District Court. Plaintiff sued Churchill Downs, as owner of the Fairgrounds race track in New Orleans for premises liability after she was struck on the head by a hay bale thrown from a hayloft by a third party's groom. At the time she was working for a horse trainer who had rented a barn at the Fairgrounds. Injuries claimed as a result of the incident in question included seizures, incontinence, lumbar pain, and "drop foot," for which
she wore a leg brace. She had undergone a cervical fusion and was allegedly considering a lumbar fusion. The jury returned the verdict of no liability after deliberating for approximately 45 minutes.