McDonald awarded $181,376 in lawsuit with movie theater

McDonald sustained a knee injury when he tripped over cleaning equipment in the aisle of the theater.

McDonald, who is also a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police bike patrol officer, had sought $856,000.

Kent Robeson, an attorney for Syufy Theatres, now Century Theatres, said the company had always taken responsibility for the accident. But he said Syufy should not be held responsible for McDonald injuring his knee five times since then in car accidents and while on duty.

McDonald hurt himself walking up the aisle of a theater while the credits to the movie were still rolling and the theater was dark, according to his attorney Louis Palazzo.

He fell over brooms and dustpans, hit his head on a seat, and slammed his knee into the floor, Palazzo said.

Palazzo said before the accident, McDonald was a very active individual who worked out extensively in hopes of trying out for the police SWAT team.

Robeson questioned how much of McDonald's life had been altered by the accident, noting he still worked as a police officer. He said the theater was not entirely to blame for McDonald's problems, noting he had been involved in three automobile accidents and had injured himself twice in the same area in his police duties.

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