79-Year-Old Woman Sues Cablevision After She Trips Over Wires

Elizabeth Bernd, at the age of 79, was living her life independently and actively by still driving and traveling to see her friends and family. All that ended when the cable guy came to make an installation. According to a lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Court Bronx County, after the man installed the cable, Ms. Bernd tripped over wires left loose by the man, breaking her leg and later suffering a stroke.

According to a New York Daily News article, Ms. Bernd, with the help of her New York personal injury lawyer, is suing Cablevision and the subcontractor that came to her house for $5 million, saying their negligence turned her joyous golden years into days of pain and misery. Her lawyer writes, “She went from an independent woman to a person who can not even talk or eat without great difficulty.”

The lawsuit says the installer unfastened preexisting wiring that had been fastened together underneath Ms. Bernd’s computer desk and before leaving, he failed to secure the wiring. Ms. Bernd broke her leg on the wiring and had surgery. After having surgery, Ms. Bernd suffered a stroke leaving the left side of her body and her vocal chords paralyzed. Ms. Bernd now lives in a nursing home and her medical expenses are at $880,000. Cablevision spokeswoman Sarah Chaikin said “Cablevision takes any such matters very seriously, and we always strive to provide the best possible service in and out of our customers’ homes.”