Incident at University of Pennsylvania Hospital leads to slip-and-fall suit

A Philadelphia woman who claims to have suffered bodily injuries after slipping on a puddle of water at a building that is part of the University of Pennsylvania Hospital is suing the groups that own and manage the property.

Lawyers Gregory C. Littman and Austin R. Freundlich, of the firm Freundlich & Littman, LLC, filed the premises liability complaint July 25 at the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas on behalf of Vanessa Hicks Moore and her husband, Kevin Moore.

The defendants named in the lawsuit are North Carolina-based Compass Group Inc. and Crothall Services Group Inc. of Wayne, Pa.

According to the lawsuit, Hicks Moore was exiting an elevator on the ninth floor of the Ravidin Building within the University of Pennsylvania Hospital on Aug. 6, 2009, when she suddenly slipped on a puddle of water that had accumulated on the floor outside of the elevator.

During the course of the incident, the suit states, Hicks Moore first fell backwards, landing on her back, and then, after attempting to get up and regain her footing, fell forward, causing various physical injuries.

Because of the accident, Hicks Moore sustained injuries including radiculopathy, protrusions, herniated nucleus polposus, shallow dis herniation, biforaminal bulging with facet overgrowth and foraminal compromise, foraminal stenosis and concomitant bulging resulting in foraminal narrowing.

Hicks Moore has been unable to perform her usual duties, occupations and avocations because of her injuries, and she has spent a substantial amount of time receiving and undergoing medical treatment and care in an attempt to reduce and alleviate her pain and suffering, according to the complaint.

Hicks Moore has also suffered a significant loss of earnings and earning capacity because of her inability to work. She has also experienced a loss of life’s pleasures.

The lawsuit accuses the defendants of negligence for failing to provide a safe hallway for pedestrians, creating the slippery condition to exist on the floor that was a danger to members of the public, failing to inspect and repair the slippery condition, and failing to erect barricades or place other warnings letting the public know of the dangerous condition that existed on the premises.

Hicks Moore demands judgment against the defendants in a sum in excess of $50,000 in compensatory damages, as well as interest and related costs.

Kevin Moore has a loss of consortium count in the lawsuit in which he seeks judgment against the defendants, jointly and severally, in an amount in excess of $50,000, plus pre-and-post-judgment interest and other costs.

A jury trial has been demanded.

The case number is 110702392.