Florida homeowner breaks leg outside court; appeals judges order new trial
A Florida homeowner suffered a broken leg after his wheelchair tipped over outside the courthouse during a trial. His injury forced him to miss the proceedings, and the trial went ahead with him absent. The jury found against him, but a Florida appeals court has now overturned that verdict. The homeowner, who had a stroke the prior year, was preparing for surgery after the accident.
His lawyer informed the court of his emergency shortly after jury selection began on April 28, 2025, in Pinellas County. The case involves a dispute over water and sewage damage from a 2019 plumbing failure at the homeowner's property. Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company denied part of the claim, and the homeowner sued.
The appeals court ruled that the denial of the homeowner's right to participate in his own trial was a fundamental error and sent the matter back for a new trial.
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