Klairmont, et al. v. Gainsboro Restaurant, Inc., et al. (Lawyers Weekly No. 10-087-13)
NOTICE: All slip opinions and orders are subject to formal revision and are superseded by the advance sheets and bound volumes of the Official Reports. If you find a typographical error or other formal error, please notify the Reporter of Decisions, Supreme Judicial Court, John Adams Courthouse, 1 Pemberton Square, Suite 2500, Boston, MA 02108-1750; (617) 557-1030; SJCReporter@sjc.state.ma.us SJC‑11154 LISA KLAIRMONT & another,[1] administrators,[2] vs. GAINSBORO RESTAURANT, INC.,[3] and others.[4] Suffolk. January 7, 2013. ‑ May 16, 2013. Present: Ireland, C.J., Spina, Cordy, Botsford, Gants, Duffly, & Lenk, JJ. Consumer Protection Act, Unfair or deceptive act, Availability of remedy, Damages, Attorney’s fees, Jury trial. State Building Code. Wrongful Death. Survival of Action. Practice, Civil, Consumer protection case, Wrongful death, Survival of action, Damages, Attorney’s fees, Findings by judge, Jury trial. Damages, Consumer protection case, Wrongful death, Conscious pain and suffering, Future earning capacity, Loss of consortium, Punitive, Attorney’s fees. Proximate Cause. Trust, Personal liability of trustee. Civil action commenced in the Superior Court Department on December 7, 2007. The case was tried before Elizabeth M. Fahey, J. The Supreme Judicial Court granted an application for direct appellate review. Michael F. Aylward (Richard W. Jensen with him) for the defendants. Joseph S. Sano (Thomas M. Elcock & Jeffrey A. Newman with him) for the plaintiffs. The following submitted briefs for amici curiae: Mark A. Behrens & Cary Silverman, of the District of Columbia, & Ryan K. Farnsworth for Associated Industries of Massachusetts & others. James M. Campbell for Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel. Michael C. Gilleran & Michael D. Riseberg for Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association & another. Timothy C. Kelleher, Jeffrey S. Beeler, Thomas R. Murphy, & J. Michael Conley for Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys. BOTSFORD, J. At approximately 1:46 A.M. on April 1, 2007, Jacob Samuel Freeman fell down a staircase at Our House East, a bar and restaurant in Boston. As a result of injuries sustained from the fall, Jacob[5] died on April 3, 2007. The plaintiffs, Lisa Klairmont and Michael Freeman, the parents of Jacob, filed this action thereafter in the Superior Court in their capacities as administrators of Jacob’s estate against Gainsboro Restaurant, Inc., doing business as Our House East (Our House East); and Holli P. Vara, Franklin E. Melgar, and Henry D. Vara, III[6] (collectively, trustees), as the trustees of the 50-58 Gainsborough Street Realty Trust (trust), the entity that owns the land and buildings within which Our House East operates. The complaint alleged claims against Our House East and the trustees for the wrongful death of Jacob and for violation of G. L. c. 93A. After a […]