- Date: January 25, 2002.
- Victim’s age: 42
- Victim’s Sex: Female
- Occupation: N/A
- Place: Ottawa, Ontario
- Circumstances: slipped on an icy sidewalk
- Injuries sustained: fractured ankle
- Settlement Amount: $281,985.04
The Slip and Fall accident
On January 25th, 2002 a 42-year-old woman slipped and fell on an icy sidewalk and broke her leg. She owned a hairdressing business in the city of Ottawa and was leaving her salon to head over to the bank to drop something off. The city had experienced snow and rain in the last few days with freeze and thawing temperatures. Therefore, the sidewalk was covered in snow and there were patches of ice. There was no salt or sand on the sidewalk. She had on heeled boots and was walking carefully to avoid ice patches but suddenly, she fell. She heard a loud crack and when she tried to stand up, she could not.
Victim injuries from a Slip and Fall
She went to the hospital where she was told she had fractured her ankle. She underwent surgery and was put in a non-walking cast. A year later she had to undergo another surgery to remove the hardware. The procedure was painful and left an ugly scar. As a result, she can longer wear heeled shoes and cannot move her ankle forward or sideways as it locks up. Furthermore, she walks with limp and developed arthritis in her ankle.
Five months after her accident she tried to return to work as a hairdresser but could not stand for long. She lost clients and unfortunately had to close her business in 2004. She now works at scotia bank as a teller where she can sit for most of her shift and does hairdressing on Saturdays at a friend’s salon.
Negligence by the city
Since the street she was walking down was considered an important business street it’s supposed to receive priority treatment. The district manager of road maintenance testified that between January 21st to the 25th the sidewalk was not plowed or salted. Moreover, he testified that the city was aware of the freeze and thaw temperatures that led to dangerous sidewalk conditions. The city was found negligent for failing to keep a safe sidewalk.
Compensation for victim
The city was ordered to pay a grand total of $281,985.04. The breakdown of damages is as follows; $70,000 in general damages, $32,100 for lost earnings, $99,500 for future lost wages and loss of competitive advantage, $44,600 for future care costs, and $9,303.04 for out-of-pocket medical expenses.