Plaintiff claims the defendant caused him to fall 16 feet off of a ladder while cutting a tree branch – defense verdict.   David Gould obtained a unanimous defense verdict in the Supreme Court Suffolk County, Mario Sequene v. Jose Indor Campino, Index Number 12345-15.  The plaintiff, a 50-year old landscaper, was cutting a tree branch with a power saw on a ladder 16 feet above the ground  at the request of the defendant.   The plaintiff claimed that a portion of the outer portion of the branch was dangling downward and was touching the ground.  The defendant then tried to pull this portion of the branch down at which time it struck the ladder causing the plaintiff to fall to the ground.   The defendant denied ever pulling the branch rather he observed the plaintiff lose his balance and then fall off the ladder after he cut through the entire branch.