jasdooit

• Subscribe to our US Editor’s Picks newsletter to receive the latest exclusive stories

An old man passed away following an unusual elevator incident at a casino hotel located just outside ofLas Vegas, a newly submitted legal case has alleged.

Theodore Webber, 78, passed away on November 3, 2025, following his exit from an elevator at the Aquarius Casino Resort in Laughlin,Nevada, according to a $2.5 million wrongful death lawsuit submitted by his estate last week.

Webber, of Anthem, Arizona, visited the hotel on October 13, and while there, exited an elevator and ‘collapsed due to a perilous and unsafe situation on the property and/or the elevator,’ the lawsuit obtained byLas Vegas Review-Journal stated.

An elderly man was first unable to move after the fall and passed away from his injuries just under a month later, according to the legal filing.

The Aquarius Casino Resort, Golden Entertainment Inc., and an unnamed elevator firm were named as the parties involved in the legal document.

The estate of Webber is filing a lawsuit for wrongful death, as well as claims related to negligent hiring, training, supervision, and retention. It is also asserting the legal principle of res ipsa loquitur, which allows circumstantial evidence to be considered in court.

The legal principle means ‘the thing speaks for itself,’ and it applies in civil cases where an accident would typically not occur without negligence, was brought about by factors entirely under the defendant’s control, and the plaintiff was not responsible for the incident, as per theCornell Law School. 

In the legal case, a lawyer representing Webber’s estate stated that they are unaware of how the incident at the casino resort happened due to Golden Entertainment’s ‘uncooperative’ stance in providing incident reports and video evidence of the fall.

The estate states that it initiated the lawsuit solely due to the company’s alleged failure to cooperate, the lawyer mentioned.

Mary Miller, the wife of Webber, has been left without resolution or explanations regarding how her husband endured the accident that resulted in his paralysis and death, according to Daniel S. Simon from Simon Law in a court document.

Webber’s estate is aiming for over $2.5 million in compensation. This amount covers only previous medical, funeral, and related costs.

The estate is also requesting over $15,000 in general, punitive, and compensatory damages.

It is also requesting over $15,000 for previous pain, suffering, disfigurement, emotional distress, and loss of life’s pleasures, along with an extra amount exceeding $15,000 for past and future grief, sadness, and the loss of expected support.

In addition, the estate is requesting that the legal fees be reimbursed and is asking for any further remedy that the court considers fair and appropriate.

The legal case is still under consideration in the Clark County District Court, which has served summonses to the Aquarius Casino Resort and Golden Entertainment Inc.

The following step involves the defendants providing a response within the courtroom.

The Daily Mail has contacted Aquarius Casino Resort and Golden Entertainment Inc for their response.

Read more