Fisherman Wins $175,000 Over Toilet Mishap
A retired Reseda man who loves to fish has won $175,000 for injuries he suffered when the floor of a portable toilet at an angling spot in Anaheim collapsed, fracturing his hip and inflicting permanent injury.
The settlement left Ralph Gross, 71, “very happy,” although he now must walk with a cane, according to his lawyer, Dale M. Kornreich.
On June 21, 1985, Gross and two sons had gone to fish the Santa Ana River near East La Palma Avenue at a site operated by Irvine Boat & Tackle. As Gross was leaving the toilet at the site, the fiberglass floor of the building housing the toilet collapsed and caught his foot, and he was sent lurching out the door, his attorney said.
He landed on his side, fracturing a hip, Kornreich said. A metal plate and pin were inserted in the hip to help it heal, but Gross’ movement has been permanently restricted, his lawsuit alleged.
During surgery, Gross developed a blood clot, which moved to his lung, briefly threatening his life, Kornreich said.
Kornreich said the settlement involved insurers of four firms: Irvine Boat & Tackle, which paid $115,000; Monogram Industries, a Delaware corporation, which manufactured the toilet, $30,000; Nottingham Pacific of Long Beach, which sold the used toilet to Irvine Boat & Tackle, $20,000, and Kimstock Industries of Santa Ana, which supplied some of the toilet parts, $10,000.
Gross’ lawsuit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, maintains that the main cause of the accident was poor maintenance.
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