Patron Describes Hearing Pop, Seeing Roped-Off Area in Lucky Lady Casino Before Accident

In the Hospital Sick Male Patient Sleeps on the Bed. Heart Rate Monitor Equipment is on His Finger.

July 22, 2019

Ellis Law Corporation

News

A frequent patron of Larry Flynt’s Lucky Lady casino in Gardena told KTLA5 that he heard a loud pop from the ceiling the day before a large portion of the roof collapsed on Monday, July 15, injuring 11 people. Seven of them were hospitalized.

The patron, who was not identified, said the noise was sufficiently disturbing that he left the casino for the day. He returned the next day and said that a sizeable area of the poker floor was roped off. He apparently overheard the statement “one day the roof is going to come in on here.” After he heard the statement, he walked around and then saw “the whole roof start coming down, up to where they had it taped off at.”

The collapse left a 25 feet by 15 feet hole in the roof.

The patron further pointed out to reporters that apparently no casino personnel were in the roped-off area, on any level.

Building Remains Closed Pending Investigation Results

The casino, on West Rosecrans Boulevard, remains closed. The casino is owned by the Flynt Management Group. A spokesperson said that the full extent of the damage was still being determined. It was not clear when the casino would reopen.

Officials are still investigating the cause of the accident as well. Observers indicated that two large units sat on top of the roof in the affected area prior to the collapse, but it was not clear if they were causal factors.

Premises Liability and the Law

Businesses open to the public, such as casinos and hotels, have a duty to make their premises safe for visitors and patrons. The law is very clear: premises not only must be safe but if events occur to make a building or portions of it unsafe, the owners must rectify the situation as soon as possible. They also have a duty to warn the public about the lack of safety.

Businesses sometimes do not live up to their responsibility. They may forgo routine maintenance, ignoring warning signs, neglect the property, or not have appropriate management in place to see and fix problems.

The law also provides that any problem with safety must be such that a “reasonable person” would have recognized it.

Ellis Law continues to monitor the events that occurred at the Lucky Lady Casino in Garden. We will continue to report on breaking news as the investigation proceeds.

If you or a loved one has been hurt on someone else’s property, including in a public space like a casino, please get in touch with a Gardena personal injury lawyer at Ellis Injury Law right away. You may be able to seek compensation for medical bills, wages missed due to your injury and its treatment, and pain and suffering, in addition to future medical bills and loss of earning potential. The law is meant to protect victims of negligence, and our experienced personal injury attorneys will fight to see justice done.

Schedule a free consultation today.

Additional Resources: