UBS Found Negligent for Decorative Globe Leg Injuries

The Swiss banking giant, UBS, has been ordered to pay more than 480.000 dollars in personal injury compensation to a Connecticut man who severely injured his leg on a decorative globe placed outside of their Stamford offices.

Al Barbarotta (60) from Trumbull, Connecticut, was walking from the Government Centre in Stamford to the local train station in June 2006 when, in a crowd of people, he caught his leg against the metal lettering which encircled the UBS globe. The metal letters sliced into his right leg and Al fell heavily onto his left knee.

The accident caused injuries to Al´s legs which required 37 stitches and several surgeries – including one to insert a prosthetic knee replacement.

After seeking legal advice, Al sued UBS for his injuries, claiming that the globes were public nuisances.  As evidence, Al produced a video in which he demonstrated the sharpness of the lettering by scoring through a set of work gloves on the edges of the metal.

UBS denied the claims but, after a week´s trial at the State Superior Court in Stamford, a jury found in Al´s favour and awarded him $78,777 for his medical expenses and $401,500 for non-economic damages – a total of $480,277.