SORORITY DINNER PARTY

1. Vera is an 87 year old, retired schoolteacher who was attending the annual meeting of her sorority.The event is being held at "The Oak Treecommunity center" in the banquet hall, which has a capacity of 250people for a sit down dinner."The Black Pearl catering company" is catering the event, which includes, bar service with an open bar cocktail reception from 4pm to 6pm, a four-course sit down dinner includingwine to be served from 6pm to 9pm and finally cash bar service during the dancing portion of the evening from 9pm and concluding at 1 am.All sororitymembers young and old and guestsare charged $80 per person for the evening.The festivities started with the cocktailsreception on the extra large dance floor. Dinner was served promptly at 6pm. The banquet room was set leaving a substantial amount ofspace for the after dinner dancing portion of the evening and the DJ set up.The seating portion for the dinner wasset with rectangular dinner tables of 10, which were placed in a herringbone patternso close together that the chairs were almost back-to-back. The seating plan for 200 people was agreed by the sorority committee and approved by the community center. The catering company executed the set up.The wine was placed on the table ahead ofthe start of food service as requested.Due to the limited access, theservers could not place the food in front of each guest.The meals had to be handed to the person at the head of the table and they were passed downthe table. Vera took a seat at the end of a table in the back corner ofthe room close to the back wall.After dinner, the music started and the lights were dimmed to create the perfect ambiance for the dancing portion of the evening.An hour afterthe dancing began approximately around 10:00pm Vera rose to leave the room.She had arranged with her favoritenephew to meet her in the front lobby. Vera took a few steps from herchair and fell to the floor hitting her head on the back wall causing a concussion, she also fracturing her left wrist and dislocating her left hip.She could not say exactly what caused the fall. She believes she either tripped, slippedor caught her foot on something. She is now suing.

DISCUSS ALL CIRCUMSTANCES FULLY.

1. Give your opinion on this accident in regards to the negligence element. Establish who in this case is liable and what percentage would apply if more than one are listed.
2. Listthe Tort Law(s) and regulations that you believes is\are applicable in this case
3. Giveyour thoughts on how this event should have been set up for each of the parties you believe were responsible in order toavoid or limit the liability.