Famous Bodybuilder Wins $390,000 Jury Verdict.

August 14, 2004. Toms River, N.J.
A jury awarded Michael Kovar the sum of $390,000 in Superior Court, Toms River today for injuries he suffered when he fell down a flight of stairs in a rented condominium on February 21, 2002.  Kovar, who placed second in the Mr. America competition was coming down stairs when he started to lose his balance.  He instinctively grasped the handrail which was loose causing him to fall down eight stairs landing on his left heel, causing a rupture of his quadriceps and patella tendons in his left leg.  Kovar brought suit against his landlord, Nicholas Yanosey who was insured by Allstate Insurance Company who offered nothing to settle the case.

Allstate argued that Kovar was not careful in descending the stairs and produced the Brick Township building inspector to state that he examined the handrail after the accident and found it to be securely fastened to the wall.  Martin Kronberg, Kovar's lawyer persuaded the jury that the building inspector was in error by pointing out that the inspector claimed he also inspected smoke detectors in the basement of the unit when in fact no basement existed.  Kovar, a practicing architect, made no lost income claim.  He is well known from his acting career which included appearances on the David Letterman show.