MORELLI LAW FIRM SUES USTA FOR NEGLIGENCE FOLLOWING EUGENIE BOUCHARD'S FALL AT 2015 U.S. OPEN
Posted on Oct 15, 2015 7:40am PDT
Morelli Law Firm filed suit on October 13 on behalf of professional tennis
player Eugenie “Genie” Bouchard.
The suit pursues relief related to ongoing problems experienced by Ms.
Bouchard as a result of a fall that occurred in the physiotherapy room
of the women’s locker room due to defendant’s negligence,
where she sustained a severe head injury. Bouchard’s injuries forced
her to withdraw entirely from the 2015 U.S. Open, where she was still
in contention for championships in the women’s singles, women’s
doubles and mixed doubles brackets. Her injury also caused her to withdraw
from several subsequent tournaments in the Japan, Beijing, Hong Kong,
Wuhan and Tokyo opens.
Bouchard, a budding superstar, was ranked No. 5 in the world in 2014 is
now ranked 39, down from 35 earlier this year. Ms. Bouchard is endorsed
by several major companies such as Nike, Babolat, Rolex and Diet Coke.
The Complaint, filed in the Eastern District of New York Federal Court,
sets forth claims of against both the US Tennis Association and the UTSA
National Tennis Center. Among the allegations are that the defendants
failed to properly maintain physiotherapy room where the fall occurred,
failed to warn or notify Ms. Bouchard of the dangerous condition in the
physiotherapy room, and allowed a dangerous condition to exist which caused
Ms. Bouchard to slip and fall and sustain severe injuries.
Ms. Bouchard who was named the WTA’s Most Improved Player after the
conclusion of the 2014 tennis season and who qualified as Runner-Up at
Wimbledon in 2014, played alongside Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova
in the 2014 WTA Finals. She is known for her aggressive style and capricious
advances, which have won her many points. The fall occurred after her
first-round in mixed doubles precluded her from continuing this season.
The twenty-one year old Bouchard continues to endure pain and suffering
from the fall and cites a loss of income and diminished quality of life
as a result of the accident.
The case is entitled Bouchard v. USTA, Inc. et al. The full Complaint can be read
here.
Benedict Morelli’s full statement to the NY Times regarding the case
can be read
here.
Categories:
Personal Injury