CBS 3 faces premises lability suit

A Philadelphia woman is suing local CBS news station KYW-TV for injuries she claims to have sustained after tripping over wires protruding from a news van.

According to her premises liability complaint, which was filed June 7 at the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas by Philadelphia lawyer Keith Levinson, Mary Zerambo was a pedestrian in the area of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in early September 2009 when she tripped and fell over wires that had been running from a news van across the hospital’s walkway.

The incident, which happened at midday, caused Zerambo to sustain injuries to her head, neck, back, arms, legs and body, the lawsuit states.

She suffered “severe and permanent” injuries to her bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and tissues. These included knee and foot contusions, tendinitis and fractures, as well as the exacerbation of pre-existing conditions.

The plaintiff has had to expend large sums of money for medical attention, and her injuries have prevented her from carrying out her daily duties and activities, the lawsuit states.

The complaint accuses the defendants, CBS 3, CBS Broadcasting, Inc., and CBS Corporation, of carelessness and negligence in failing to properly ensure that the wires coming from the news van wouldn’t be in the way of pedestrian access. It says the defendants should have been aware of the hazardous and dangerous condition that existed on the premises.

Zerambo seeks damages against the defendants jointly, severally and/or singularly in a sum not in excess of $50,000.

The non-jury matter is scheduled for an arbitration hearing on Feb. 8, 2012.

The case number is 110600175.