Injured in Fall, Ventura Man to Get $1.7 Million
A former grocery store manager has received a $1.77-million settlement for injuries he suffered after falling down an elevator shaft at a Montecito Vons that was undergoing renovations.
Mark Ryan, 44, of Ventura was retrieving papers from his second-floor desk June 24, 2002, according to his attorney, Mark Hiepler.
A lawsuit filed after the incident said Ryan fell through an elevator-shaft opening that had not been sufficiently barricaded during its construction. Ryan fell nine feet and suffered injuries that included broken ribs, broken collarbone and a herniated disc, the suit states.
The defendants -- Kirkley Corp., a general contractor, and Crabco, a framing contractor -- settled the suit Thursday during a pretrial conference with Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge Denise de Bellefeuille. A trial date was set for Feb. 27.
P. Mark Kirwin, an attorney for Crabco, said neither of the defendants admitted liability under terms of the settlement.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
