The Iowa Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a Texas woman who sued after slipping on the ice outside an Iowa hotel.
Brenda Alcala travels for business. She was staying at a Courtyard hotel in Bettendorf in January of 2010. She slipped outside at about eight in the morning and broke her ankle. She sued Marriott for negligence. A jury awarded her $1.2 million. Marriott appealed.
The Iowa Court of Appeals ruled the district court judge had not properly instructed the jury before it started deliberations. Now, the Iowa Supreme Court has ruled there should be a new trial. The state’s highest court says the judge “erroneously” told the jury the “icy walkway” violated a private safety code that called for “slip-resistant construction materials.”