NY couple says short walk on Hilton Head changed their lives... and not in a good way
A New York couple who says a parking lot barrier arm crashed down on them as they walked beneath it is suing a Hilton Head resort for negligence.
Kathleen and Christopher Wells’ lawsuit says they were walking into the Marriott Grande Ocean Resort on South Forest Beach Drive Aug. 3, 2017, when they were struck by the barrier arm that controls traffic flow into the parking lot.
The couple has requested a jury trial, according to court documents in the Beaufort County 14th Judicial Circuit filed Feb. 19.
The Wells said they were leaving the Marriott Worldwide Sales Center and walking toward their hotel across the street when they were “struck,” according to the suit.
Although the suit does not give specifics, it says the couple suffered “severe personal injuries and other damages.”
The suit alleges that the Marriott failed to post signs or warnings of the barrier arm and thus created an unsafe environment for residents and guests.
That negligence caused physical injuries, disfigurement, fear and anxiety for the couple, according to the suit.
Contacted Wednesday, Wells’ lawyer Michael Bennett of Hilton Head-based Berry & Carr Attorneys at Law, declined to comment.
Massimo Santangelo, the general manager at the Marriott, also declined to comment Wednesday.
The suit is not seeking pre-determined damages — leaving that amount for the court to decide.
This story was originally published February 27, 2019 at 3:26 PM.
