Case Background
This legal dispute began following a severe golf cart accident that occurred during the morning of July 7, 2020. Denise A. Booth, a resident of Milford, Connecticut, visited the Grassy Hill Country Club in Orange to participate in a league round of golf with three other players. The country club operated as a registered Connecticut corporation that opened its premises to the public for a fee.
Cause
After Booth finished the first two holes, she drove her golf cart toward the third tee box. She parked the vehicle, took her shot, and returned to the cart to continue toward the third green. As she drove down the designated cart path, she encountered a dangerously steep downward slope. The cart suddenly skidded to the left, jumped over an asphalt curb, and accelerated at a high rate of speed down the grassy hill. The vehicle eventually struck a large boulder located immediately next to the path, which ejected Booth from the cart and threw her onto the asphalt.
Injury
The impact resulted in catastrophic physical trauma that required an emergency ambulance transport to Bridgeport Hospital. Medical evaluations revealed that Booth suffered a dislocated left shoulder, a glenoid fracture, a proximal humerus fracture, and a fractured right knee. She also sustained a closed head injury and a suspected fracture of the thoracic spine.
Her recovery included several attempts to reset her shoulder and a major surgery in August 2020 to repair her rotator cuff and debride the joint. Doctors determined that she suffered a 28% permanent functional impairment of her left upper extremity. Even after extensive physical therapy, she remained a candidate for a total shoulder replacement due to chronic pain and diminished strength.
Damages Sought
Booth filed her claim for damages exceeding $15,000, seeking compensation for her extensive medical expenses and future treatment costs. She specifically sought relief for her physical pain, her inability to perform daily activities, and the permanent loss of function in her arm.
Key Arguments and Proceedings
The litigation focused on whether the country club had fulfilled its duty to maintain a safe environment for its guests.
Legal Representation
Plaintiff(s): Denise A. Booth
Counsel for Plaintiff(s): James M. Connolly of Connolly Brennan Ralabate, PC
Defendant(s): Grassy Hill Country Club, Inc.
Counsel for Defendant(s): Robert O. Hickey of Ryan Ryan Deluca LLP
Experts of the Parties: James Cervone | Joseph Codespoti | Dante Brittis | Lauren Fabian | Neil Dunleavy | Steven Bryan | Kristopher J. Seluga
Key Arguments or Remarks by Counsel
Claims
Attorney James Connolly argued that the country club's negligence proximately caused the accident. The Plaintiff’s team alleged the club failed to use reasonable care in the following ways:
The club designed a cart path with an unreasonably dangerous slope.
Management failed to install barriers or guardrails that would have prevented the cart from leaving the path.
The club failed to remove the large boulder that created a crash hazard.
The club should have placed the parking area at the bottom of the slope and installed stairs for golfers to reach the elevated tee box.
Defense
Robert Hickey and the defense team denied the negligence claims and filed a special defense. They argued that if Booth suffered injuries, they resulted from her own carelessness. The defense's primary arguments included:
Booth failed to keep a proper lookout or make reasonable use of her senses.
She drove the golf cart at an unreasonable speed given the conditions.
She failed to heed a warning sign on the side of the path that cautioned drivers about the steep hill.
She did not adjust her handling of the cart to account for the terrain.
Jury Verdict
On November 21, 2025, the jury reached a verdict in favor of the Plaintiff. They calculated the total damages as follows:
Total Economic Damages: $159,911.24
Total Noneconomic Damages: $200,000.00
Total Damages: $359,911.24
The jury applied the rules of comparative negligence to the final award. They determined the Total Net Damages to be $359,911.24. This final figure represents the total damages adjusted by the percentage of negligence the jury apportioned to the Defendant.
Court Documents
