NEW LONDON – Two years after state Sen. Andrew Maynard fell off an outdoor staircase and over the railing at his Stonington home, the injuries from that fall continue to affect his life. The senator suffered a traumatic brain injury and has difficulty speaking to this day.
“He’s going to occupational and speech therapy, so he's trying to work through some of the issues that he continues to have,” said attorney Kelly Reardon, who represents Sen. Maynard.
Reardon is arguing in a lawsuit filed on Maynard's behalf that the fall would not have happened if Maynard’s landlord had followed state and international building codes.
“The claim essentially is that unfortunately the staircase that he fell off of two summers ago was defective,” said Reardon.
The lawsuit states landlord Dorothy Papp owned the Stonington property and was responsible for maintenance, upkeep and repairs. It claims the fall was a result of her “negligence and carelessness.”
Reardon said prior to filing the lawsuit, a building code expert visited the property and found numerous code violations. Most notably, the railing on the staircase was several inches lower than it should be.
The lawsuit claims that fall is also the reason Maynard had a seizure and lost control of his car on Route 32 in January. He struck an SUV and went down an embankment, causing further injuries.
“There’s no question that he developed a seizure disorder because of the fall, because of the head injury he had,” said Reardon.
She added, “It has been a struggle for him. I think anyone who knows him would agree with that.”
Maynard is serving out the remainder of his term in the state Senate.
Meanwhile, Reardon is helping him seek damages. The lawsuit states he continues to require additional medical care and may need additional surgeries. It states he is also unable to “participate in many activities to the extent he was formerly able” and has lost the ability to “earn money through gainful employment in the future.”
Reardon said, “It's difficult to say what the future will hold.”
Papp’s insurance company appointed attorney Tom Noniewicz to represent her. Noniewicz told FOX 61 he had no comment on the lawsuit at this time.
