Manning & Kass Obtains Summary Judgment In Favor of the Los Angeles Rams and USC

Los Angeles Partner Jeffrey M. Lenkov, Senior Counsel Robert P. Wargo, and Associate Tanya Prouty, have prevailed on motions for summary judgment in favor of Los Angeles Rams and the University of Southern California. Plaintiff attended a Los Angeles Rams home game with his family at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and was involved in a verbal altercation with some attendees seated in the Rams’ family section that quickly escalated into a physical altercation. Plaintiff filed a complaint against our clients and others stating claims for negligence; premises liability; negligent hiring, retention, and supervision; and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Settlement demand was seven figures.

Our team argued that our clients had fulfilled their duties to provide security at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum; that our clients had no duty to provide additional security in the family section of the Coliseum given the absence of prior similar incidents there; and that Plaintiff could not demonstrate any causal link between any alleged deficiency in security and his injuries.  The Court granted summary judgment on all claims against the Los Angeles Rams and the University of Southern California.

Jeffrey M. Lenkov is the leader of the firm’s Retail, Restaurant, and Hospitality Team and the senior partner on the case. As panel counsel to many of our retail and entertainment clients, he has defended a myriad of high-profile cases in these industries, ranging from employment, wrongful death, catastrophic loss and injury, as well as major class actions. Robert P. Wargo practices on the Strategy, Writs, and Appeals Team and has extensive experience handling civil litigation and appellate matters. Tanya Prouty is a member of the Retail, Restaurant and Hospitality Team. Her practice is focused on the defense of civil litigation matters including general liability, premises liability, and products liability.