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Case: Hinton v. 2331 Adams Street Corp., Broward Circuit Court, 2003
Synopsis: Loren Hinton was two years of age when she suffered a near-drowning in the Tropisun apartment complex's pool. Reportedly, the gate which would have prevented Hinton from accessing the pool was broken and had not been repaired by the complex's operator.
Result: The victim and their families were awarded $100 million in compensation for near-drowning. The substantial financial award was intended to cover the victim's medical care for the rest of her life as well as other intangible damages imposed upon the plaintiff by the ordeal.
Loren Hinton was two years old in May of 2001 when she was running around her apartment complex and playing with her friends.
Her father, who was cooking on an outdoor grill, momentarily let Loren out of his sight, at which point it is believed that she pushed through the broken pool gate, climbed up onto a slide, and slipped into the pool.
During the case, information emerged which demonstrated that the apartment complex owner was aware of the broken gate. In fact, it was alleged that the gate had been broken and repaired multiple times in the past. Regrettably, the efforts to maintain the gate in working order diminished as acts of vandalism on the complex's property did not stop. The slide present at the pool, and which was allegedly used by Loren before she inadvertently slipped into the pool, also came into question during litigation.
Loren was found unconscious in the pool by a neighbor. Emergency rescuers were able to save her but not without permanent injuries. After a week on life support and 6 weeks hospitalized, Hinton returned home a very different young girl. The severe brain injuries resulting from anoxia manifest as permanent motor and cognitive impairment. For almost all aspects of her day-to-day life, Loren will require trained personnel to be there to help her.