Laurianne Falcone

Significant Representative Matters

• Obtained a defense verdict in a lawsuit alleging that the defendant set off a firework that struck an 11 year old girl on her back, resulting in second degree burns and permanent scarring. Plaintiffs alleged through two independent eyewitnesses that the defendant was the perpetrator, though the defendant was acquitted in his criminal trial.  The jury was not permitted to hear any evidence regarding the criminal trial, and the jury was not allowed to know that the defendant was acquitted. The jury found that the defendant was not negligent.

• Defense verdict in lawsuit alleging negligent supervision by daycare facility of five-year-old child who sustained a severe fracture to his arm. Plaintiffs alleged that daycare employee was not properly "spotting" the child while he swung on the monkey bars at a local playground. Jury found defendant was not negligent because child had swung on monkey bars before without "spotting" and employee was standing just several feet away. Plaintiffs were awarded $40,000 at initial arbitration.

• Defense verdict in lawsuit alleging negligence by amusement park for failing to provide a safe egress for adult on a water slide. Plaintiffs alleged that amusement park did not provide adequate assistance to adult patron who was unable to exit an inner tube and who hit her head on the bottom of the pool. Jury found defendant was not negligent because of videotape showing many patrons using same attraction without incident and plaintiff was responsible for her own incident. Plaintiffs were awarded $15,000 at initial arbitration.

• Defense verdict in lawsuit alleging negligence by amusement park for failing to provide a safe environment for five-year­old child on an "attractive nuisance" staircase. Plaintiffs alleged that amusement park did not provide sufficient padding in and around a staircase featuring a prominent television character. Jury found defendant was not negligent because defendant is not required to protect its patrons from mere accidents. Plaintiffs were awarded $8,500 at initial arbitration.

• Defense verdict in lawsuit alleging assault and battery by employees of retail facility during shoplifting incident. Plaintiff alleged that retail facility was negligent for allowing two of its employees to physically assault suspected shoplifters while questioning them. Jury found defendant was not negligent because plaintiff's evidence was not credible to support that such an assault even occurred, even though Plaintiff sustained an orbital fracture.

Published Works

• "With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?" Defense Digest, 2004

• "Let's Spare Some Trees - Standard Discovery Requests in Philadelphia Arbitration Cases," Defense Digest, 2005

Classes/Seminars Taught

• Preservation of Evidence--Counsel's Responsibility?, DRI 15th Annual Personal Injury Potpourri, Philadelphia, PA, April 16, 2013

• Presenter, Premises Liability Seminar, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, 2010

• Presenter, Handling the Slip, Trip and Fall Case, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 2010

• How the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 will Impact our Practice, May 26, 2009

• Lecture, Accident Documentation and Investigation, 2007, 2008

Past Employment Positions

• Honorable Gene D. Cohen, Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia, Law Clerk

Education

• Temple University School of Law, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2000 J.D.

• Ursinus College, 1997 B.A.

  Honors: Best Paper - European Union Law, 1998
  Honors: Howard Trucksess Prize - displayed unusual promise in study of law, 1997
  Honors: Sigma Tau Delta, National English Honor Society, 1996-1997
  Major:  English