On February 19, 2009, Ruben Corena drove his truck to the Sunoco gas station at 880 Garrison Avenue in the Bronx. While walking back to his truck after paying for his fuel, Mr. Corena fell and sustained injuries due to cracked pavement and oil on the ground.

Sunoco 990 Garrison Ave. Bronx
The Site of Mr. Corena’s Fall

On January 8, 2013, in the ensuing lawsuit against the property owner and lessor, the jury returned a verdict finding that the premises was unsafe and defendants were fully at fault for the accident and plaintiff’s injuries. The same jurors then awarded plaintiff pain and suffering damages in the sum of $450,000 ($250,000 past – four years, $200,000 future – 20 years).

In Corena v. BBZZ Equities, Inc., (2d Dept. 2016), both the liability and damages verdicts have been affirmed.

As to injuries, the appellate court decision mentions only that plaintiff fell to the ground, his leg became swollen and he had a protruding bone. Here are the injury details:

  • Left Leg: spiral fracture of the distal tibia and comminuted fracture of the fibula
  • Surgery #1 on 2/20/09:  external fixation to try to bring the bone together to heal, requiring a seven day hospital admission
  • Surgery #2 in April 2009: removal of external fixator due to an infection where a metal screw had been inserted into the ankle
  • Surgery #3 on 1/25/10: open reduction internal fixation (“ORIF”) with bone graft from hip, metal plate and eight screws implanted to repair the tibia where the fracture had been infected and was not healed, requiring a five day hospital admission
  • Torn meniscus left knee requiring surgery # 4 on 7/22/10 to arthroscopically repair (healed as of trial)
  • Back – herniated disc at L4-5 (surgery has been recommended)

tib fib fx types

Mr. Corena testified that he remained in near constant ankle and back pain with leg cramps and shooting pain in his back that left him with a loss of mobility and balance requiring a cane to walk and that he is unable to take long walks, play soccer or basketball, lift or carry his grandchildren, sit for long periods or go out dancing with his wife.

Plaintiff’s expert orthopedic surgeon opined that his ankle and back injuries and pain are permanent, he has ended up with one leg slightly shorter than the other (requiring a lift in his shoe), his prognosis is “guarded to poor” and manual work is out of the question while sedentary work wold be “hard because he can’t sit.” Defendant’s expert orthopedic surgeon testified that plaintiff’s back injury was not related to the accident (and that in any event he will not need back surgery) and that while plaintiff’s tibia injury is permanent, he does not require a cane and can perform sedentary work.

Mr. Corena, 51 years old at the time of trial, had been a truck driver for the two years before his accident. He never returned to work and the jury awarded him past loss of earnings damages in the sum of $150,000. He made no claim for future loss of earnings. Defendants argued that the entire past loss of earnings award should be set aside because plaintiff did not testify as to  his job duties, his hours and his wages except to the extent that he presented in evidence his W-2 statements for 2008. The trial judge agreed, in part, reducing that aspect of the verdict to $75,000. The appellate court, though, reinstated the entire $150,000 verdict for past loss of earnings finding that plaintiff’s documentation was sufficient and his claim for past wages was not speculative.

Plaintiff’s wife of 26 years, Maritza Corena, was awarded damages for loss of consortium in the sum of $55,000 ($40,000 past, $15,000 future – 10 years). These awards were affirmed on appeal over defendants’ argument that they were excessive and based simply on her testimony that “everything” changed after the accident and her husband “does nothing” around the house. There was more, though. Plaintiff himself testified that for almost three months after the accident his wife would give him showers in the kitchen sink and wash his leg. Also, before the accident the couple would go out dancing, go to parties and visit family members, things he could no longer do. Furthermore, he described how frustrated he was regarding his disabilities and how this led to his losing his temper and fighting with his wife.