Total Injury

In what’s believed to be the largest award for slip and fall injuries in Virginia history, a Williamsburg woman was recently awarded $12.2 million for the personal injuries she suffered at a gas station convenience store. A DailyPress.com story said that Annette Ritzman was walking into what used to be a Miller Mart in August 2003 when she slipped and fell on a small puddle from a leaky awning. In addition to landing on her chest and chin, Ritzman had her head snap back during the fall. While returning to her hair styling business a couple days later, Ritzman said that she had a hard time concentrating. Doctors later diagnosed her with post-concussion symptoms, and the story added that Ritzman lost brain cells following the slip and fall incident and now suffers seizures.

At the urging of her friends, Ritzman enlisted the help of Virginia brain injury attorney Stephen Smith, who said in the story that he was able to get Miller Mart officials to admit that they knew the outside curb where his client fell was dangerous. The story depicted Miller as painting the case as a wrongful death lawsuit. In other words, Miller said that the Ritzman who friends and family once knew died the day of her slip and fall injuries, which essentially made her appear to be a stranger to those loved ones.   

After being hit with the $12.2 million personal injury verdict by a jury in Hampton Circuit Court, neither Miller Mart officials nor its insurance companies had a comment. The story said that it is unknown whether these defendants will appeal the decision. Smith said that it is unlikely that Ritzman will ever return to the spa and added that she will likely hire a life coach to help with her daily life.