Hannebaum v. Direnzo & Bomier

In this "slip and fall" case, a jury awarded the respondent, Jean M. Hannebaum, $735,000. The appellants are the defendants, Lakeshore, Ltd., owner of the building site where Hannebaum fell, and two tenants, the law firm of DiRenzo and Bomier and the accounting firm of DiRenzo, Simonis and Miller.

The issues we address on appeal are: (1) whether the special verdict should have inquired separately as to the alleged negligence of the multiple defendants; (2) whether the trial court properly excluded evidence of no prior complaints or incidents relating to the steps on which Hannebaum fell; (3)…