Kip Lynch ’22
News Editor
Trinity College and Aramark are jointly named as defendants in a recent workplace injury lawsuit by Alvaro Alvarez, while Aramark faces a separate workplace injury lawsuit from Frank Colaninno. Both plaintiffs sustained injuries after falling down staircases in dormitories and academic buildings and are suing for $15,000 in damages, exclusive of interest and costs.
Represented by the law firm of Jainchill & Beckert, Alvaro Alvarez filed suit against Trinity College and Aramark, Trinity’s housekeeping, grounds services, and maintenance operations contractor, for damages related to a fall in Seabury Hall on Jan. 25, 2019. The complaint alleges that Alvarez was descending to the lower level of Seabury on the morning of Jan. 25 when he “was caused to slip and fall down the entire length of stairs due to an accumulation of water then and there existing.” Alvarez sustained injuries including a rotator cuff tear to his left shoulder and a lumbar spine injury resulting in his seeking medical care and incurring expenses for “hospitals, surgeons, surgical care, doctors, diagnostic testing, physical therapists, pharmacists, medications.” The complaint alleges that Trinity “should have known of the dangerous condition caused when the stairs were wet, yet failed to install any tracking mats, runners or pads to make the stairs safe.” Alvarez is seeking damages of “more than $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs.”
Both Trinity College and Aramark appeared to have not originally filed a response to the matter. Although there was no default judgement in favor of the Alvarez, his lawyer William Beckert was granted a motion to add the Trustees of Trinity College as a defendant. President Joanne Berger-Sweeney and the Trustees of Trinity College were served around the end of Aug. 2020.
Frank Colaninno, represented by the firm Riscassi & Davis, separately filed suit against Aramark and Lead Custodial Supervisor, Wilhem Acosta, for damages after falling down a staircase in Doonesbury Hall on Apr. 1, 2018. The complaint alleges that the fall was “due to the dangerous and/or defective condition of said staircase, thereby causing the plaintiff to sustain and suffer the personal injuries and losses hereinafter set forth.” Colaninno claims damages at trial in excess of $15,000, exclusive of interest and costs after sustaining injuries and being “forced to incur financial obligations for hospital and medical care and treatment, diagnostic studies, medicines, and the like.”
The Tripod reached out to General Counsel Dickens Mathieu for comment, but did not receive a response.
The cases are Alvaro v. Trinity College, Docket No. HHD-CV-20-6126980-S, before Hartford, JD, and Colaninno v. Aramark Management, Docket No. HHB-CV20-6056848-S, before New Britain, JD.
Paul H. Cannon: Sounds like those stairs could use some safety strips