News

IFMK Law Senior Associate Attorney, Christina Szocka, won summary judgment in favor of IFMK Client and Defendant, a County Public Health Department, in a premises liability case. The plaintiff alleged that she sustained personal injuries after slipping and falling down a stairway inside a county facility. She filed suit against the county alleging that it was negligent in maintaining the stairway. Specifically, at issue was whether the stairway’s rubber tread lacked traction. Defendants argued: (1) that Plaintiff failed to provide evidence that the stairway had an identifiable defect and was in an unreasonably safe condition; (2) that Defendants had no prior notice of an unsafe condition; and (3) that Defendants did not proximately cause the fall. Plaintiff contended that there existed a question of fact as to whether the slippery/shiny nature of the stairway’s tread was unreasonably dangerous. She further argued that Defendants should have had an inspection program in place to test the tread’s traction. The court held in Defendants favor, holding that summary judgment was warranted and no question of fact existed.