Hard Rock Hotel Casino Biloxi Sued Over Allegedly Faulty Slot Chair

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi, operating in the Mississippi Gulf Coast casino city as Premier Entertainment, has been named in a lawsuit in Harrison County over claims that it did not sufficiently safeguard guests on its casino floor. 

George Powell, a resident of Denmark, SC, asserts that he was in Biloxi on August 6, 2022, for a business meeting held at the Hard Rock location. Powell claims he was using a slot machine when the chair he occupied collapsed.

"The chair fell and threw Plaintiff to the floor,” Powell’s complaint read.

Following his return to the Hard Rock hotel room for rest, Powell asserts that his shoulder started to swell, leading him to catch a taxi to Merit Hospital, which is just a quarter-mile north of the resort. 

 

Tough Plunge at Hard Rock 

Casinos face lawsuits regularly for various reasons, such as slips and falls. Powell’s situation is somewhat unique, as he asserts that Hard Rock and the slot machine chair producer, Modern Gaming, were careless in failing to recognize that the furniture was faulty and created a danger of harm to visitors.

"Defendant Hard Rock owed a duty of reasonable care to Plaintiff as an invitee, and negligently failed to inspect for dangerous conditions. Defendant Hard Rock knew, or should have known, of the dangerous condition, namely, of the defective chair, which caused Plaintiff’s injury,” Flowood, Miss., attorney Willie Abston argued on his client’s behalf.

Abston stated that Modern Gaming was careless in upholding quality control procedures "throughout production to avoid manufacturing flaws, to verify that components in the product meet necessary standards, and to adequately examine and assess completed products prior to distribution." 

Abston is seeking a trial by jury. The lawsuit requests punitive damages and legal expenses. 

Powell states he experienced trauma to his right arm, right shoulder, and “entire body.” He also asserts that he experienced emotional trauma, shock, stress, emotional turmoil, and “mental distress” that he has faced and will keep facing. Ultimately, Powell claims that the descent from the slot machine chair has resulted in a “loss of enjoyment of life.” 

According to Realtor.com, Powell's residence in South Carolina, as outlined in the lawsuit, has an estimated worth of $128,800. 

 

Response Coming Soon 

Powell filed the lawsuit in the Second Judicial Circuit Court of Harrison County on March 31. It was submitted and released to the public on April 23. 

Hard Rock and Modern Gaming have not responded to the complaint so far, but it’s a good assumption that the attorneys for both companies will request the court to dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice. 

Millar Law Firm, located in Atlanta, states that owners of commercial properties “are legally obligated to keep their premises safe.” Nevertheless, the lawyers there assert that gathering essential proof in a chair collapse case can be challenging. 

Powell’s complaint states that after his fall, a maintenance worker took away the chair from the slot machine area. 

Hard Rock Biloxi features approximately 1,400 chairs for slot machines. The casino features around 50 live-dealer table games, offering hundreds of seating options.