Claims Court: State Responsible For Injuries Suffered By Woman During Fall At Mayville Boat Landing

JAMESTOWN– A city attorney has secured a liability verdict for a woman who was injured during a fall in Mayville more than three years ago. 

Rebecca Frye brought the lawsuit against the State of New York after she was seriously hurt at the Prendergast Boat Launch on August 10, 2014.

Her attorney, John I. LaMancuso, of Lewis & Lewis, P.C., tried the case before the Honorable Michael E. Hudson of the New York State Court of Claims in Buffalo on August 3-4 of this year.

According to a release from LaMancuso’s office, Judge Hudson issued a nineteen-page Decision, which ruled that the State was negligent in maintaining the Prendergast Boat Launch and bears seventy-percent liability for the fall.

Hudson said he found that the trial evidence demonstrated that the State failed to establish a program or policy to regularly clean or inspect conditions at the Boat Launch.

“Like every landowner, the State owes a duty to exercise reasonable care to maintain its premises in a reasonably safe condition. Unfortunately, it did not do so in this case. I am very pleased that we were able to obtain this just result for Mrs. Frye and her family,” LaMancuso said.

Since its founding in 1944, Lewis & Lewis, P.C. has represented thousands of individuals injured in car accidents, workplace accidents, and other serious accidents. The firm employs fourteen attorneys and maintains five offices throughout Western New York.