Negligent Sidewalk Design is Blamed for Slip and Fall Accident

This case involves a woman who slipped and fell outside of a shopping center. The walkway where the woman fell is used as the main means of ingress and egress to the shopping center. The sidewalk is not level to the grass and it was alleged that the sidewalk was designed negligently. The woman slipped on mud that had been allowed to accumulate on the walkway due to the grade of the walkway.

Question(s) For Expert Witness

1. Please explain your experience with compliant sidewalk design and/or maintenance.

Expert Witness Response E-127381

There are a lot of things that have to be considered with a case like this. From an engineering perspective, these conditions are such that a person walking on this path, especially a senior, would be a precarious position. It appears when the installation of the sidewalk was done, the pavement was under the grass line. In regards to maintenance, the grass rising above the sidewalk edges should have been scraped off. Grades are very important and it seems the proper measures were not taken in this case.