A public transit passenger who claims she sustained various injuries after she not only slipped on the wet floor of a trolley, but also was subsequently tossed from the vehicle after its doors opened, has filed a personal injury complaint against the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.
Philadelphia lawyer Adam M. Green filed the civil action May 7 at the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas on behalf of Philadelphia resident Andrena Butler, who claims she suffered a host of physical and emotional injuries after she after riding a SEPTA trolley in downtown Philadelphia back on Nov. 4, 2010.
Butler had been making her way toward the exit door of the trolley in an attempt to disembark at 15th and Walnut streets when, despite having both hands on the exit rail near the door, she was caused to fall to the ground after the trolley came to a sudden stop.
Butler fell after her feet slipped from under her due to a wet trolley floor, the lawsuit claims.
The plaintiff suffered back injuries, as well as contusions, injuries to her muscles and nerves, and emotional trauma, the complaint alleges.
The lawsuit says Butler has also has suffered from frustration, embarrassment, loss of enjoyment of life’s pleasures and the inability to attend to her daily duties and activities.
The complaint accuses SEPTA of negligence for failing to provide a non-slip surface to public transit riders, failing to warn the plaintiff of the dangerous condition that existed on the floor of the trolley, stopping the trolley with such force as to cause disembarking passengers to be placed in harms way, failing to train its employees in the proper and safe operation of its trolleys and failing to open trolley doors in a safe manner.
The lawsuit claims that not only did Butler slip on the interior of the trolley, but that she fell out of the trolley and onto the sidewalk after the trolley operator opened the vehicle’s exit doors at the same time that Butler experienced her fall.
The suit claims Butler has incurred various medical expenses related to the treatment of her alleged injuries.
Butler demands $50,000 in compensatory damages as well as interest and other costs.
An arbitration hearing has been scheduled for early next year.
The case ID number is 120500099.
Phila. woman who was thrown from trolley sues SEPTA over alleged injuries
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