Woman who slips on ice sues Seventh-Day Adventists

A Philadelphia woman who claims she sustained physical injuries after falling on a patch of ice outside of a church building is suing the religious organization.

Philadelphia attorney Andrew H. Gaber, of the Gaber Law Offices, P.C., filed the premises liability complaint July 19 at the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas on behalf of Teodosia Santiago.

The defendants in the case are the Pennsylvania Conference Association of Seventh-Day Adventists, Inc., and the Maranatha Hispanic Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

According to the complaint, Santiago was walking along the sidewalk outside of the church, located at 3149-59 F St., on Dec. 22, 2009, when she suddenly fell to the ground due to ice and snow that had accumulated inside of a cracked and broken sidewalk.

As a result of the incident, Santiago sustained a comminuted fracture of the distal radius, “which caused her, and will in the future cause her great pain and agony, and prevented her and will in the future prevent her from attending to her daily activities and labors,” according to the lawsuit.

Santiago also suffered physical pain, mental anguish and humiliation, and will continue to suffer the same in the future, the lawsuit claims.

Furthermore, Santiago has incurred various expenses related to her medical treatment.

The lawsuit accuses the defendants of negligence for failing to adequately warn pedestrians of the snow and ice buildup; failing to adequately barricade or section off the snow and icy portions of the sidewalk; allowing the ice and snow to remain for an “unreasonably long time;” and failing to provide an alterative, safer route, walkway or path for pedestrians using the thoroughfare.

Santiago demands judgment against the defendants, jointly and severally, in an amount in excess of $50,000, plus delay damages and related costs.

The non-jury matter has not yet been scheduled for arbitration.

The case number is 110701711.