Mendenhall v. Siegel

The plaintiff, William Mendenhall, received injuries when he tripped and fell on a worn rug in the hallway of an apartment building in which he had been a tenant for 19 months. From a jury verdict and judgment in his favor, the defendant apartment owner, Marjorie Siegel, appeals.

The principal issue on appeal was whether or not the trial court erred in instructing the jury on plaintiff’s theory that defendant was guilty of wanton misconduct.

The apartment in question is a low rental building ($10.00 to $12.50 per week). The tenants range in ages up to 80 years.

The building has two floors of…