Woman who broke wrist on untreated ice patch files personal injury claim

A Philadelphia woman is suing one of her neighbors in the city’s Port Richmond section for injuries she sustained after slipping on a patch of ice at the defendant’s property.

Philadelphia attorney Jared S. Zafran, of the Edelstein Law firm, filed the premises liability complaint Aug. 24 at the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas on behalf of Barbara Wickham.

The defendant named in the suit is Robin Karkowski.

Court records show that the two women live mere doors away from each other.

According to the complaint, Wickham was walking outside of Karkowski’s property on Jan. 18 of this year when she suddenly tripped and fell over a patch of untreated ice.

The fall caused the plaintiff to break her right wrist and sustain other, unspecified bodily injuries, the suit claims.

Wickham has incurred various expenses due to medical treatment and rehabilitative services, and she has been unable to attend to her daily chores and occupations because of her injuries, the lawsuit states.

She has also suffered a loss of earnings and earning capacity because of her inability to work.

“As a further result of the accident, Plaintiff, Barbara Wickham, has suffered severe physical pain, aches, mental anguish and humiliation, inconveniences, and loss of life’s pleasures, and she may continue to suffer the same for an indefinite time in the future,” the lawsuit states.

The complaint accuses Karkowski of negligence for allowing a dangerous and defective condition to exist on her property, failing to maintain her property and failing to warn the general public of the hazardous condition.

Wickham demands judgment against Karkowski in a sum not in excess of $50,000, plus interest and related court costs.

An arbitration hearing in the non-jury matter has been set for April 27, 2012.

The case number is 110803571.