State Supreme Court Affirms Dismissal on Summary Judgment for the Injuries Sustained on Property Owned by Defendant

Skylar Dimick was injured when he fell into a septic tank on the property owned by the defendant Scott Hopkinson. Dimick and his wife filed a negligence lawsuit against Hopkinson and his businesses, family trust and his wife, Chris Hopkinson.

In addition to the negligence count, the Dimick lawsuit also sought punitive damages for the defendants’ alleged willful and wanton misconduct.

The district court in this case granted summary judgment to all of the defendants concluding that: (1) Hopkinson and his businesses were protected by a valid release of liability that was signed by Dimick; (2) Hopkinson committed no willful and wanton act; (3) Chris Hopkinson (Scott’s wife) was neither a proximate cause of Dimick’s injuries nor was she engaged in a joint venture with Scott; and (4) the family trust of the Hopkinson did not exist.

The Supreme Court of Wyoming affirmed, holding that the lower court properly granted summary judgment in favor of all of the defendants.

Dimick v. Hopkinson, 2018 WI 82, July 23, 2018.

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling catastrophic injury lawsuits, construction site injury cases, worker injury lawsuits and traumatic brain injury lawsuits for individuals, families and loved ones who have been injured, harmed or killed by the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 40 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including St. Charles, Aurora, Bartlett, Barrington, Bensenville, Cicero, Joliet, Willowbrook, Lemont, Oak Park, Orland Park, Chicago (Midway, Marquette Park, Gresham, Washington Heights, Lake Calumet, Riverdale, Rosemont, Brighton Park, Archer Heights), Berwyn, Stickney, Maywood, Melrose Park and Schiller Park, Ill.