PITTSBURGH — A bicyclist who suffered multiple injuries is claiming the City of Pittsburgh allowed a large hole in the road to go unrepaired.
Shawntal Ghafoor filed a complaint March 23 in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County against the City of Pittsburgh alleging negligence.
Ghafoor alleges in his complaint that he was riding his bicycle to work on Ridge Avenue in Pittsburgh's North Side section on Sept. 26, 2021. He claims that as he traveled around the bend on Ridge Avenue, near Fulton Street, he suddenly came upon a "massive defect/hole" in the roadway where there were large chunks of pavement/concrete missing.
He further claims he was thrown from his bike, hit the asphalt street pavement and suffered injuries including a displaced clavicle fracture which required surgery along with bruises and injuries to his arm and ribs. Ghafoor also claims his injuries required months of physical therapy and that his injuries left him with permanent loss of strength and range of motion in his shoulder and arm.
He alleges the City of Pittsburgh's negligence for failing to maintain the roadway and failing to patch or resurface the broken portions of the road. Ghafoor also alleges the City of Pittsburgh was negligent for failing to warn of the defect and making the roadway dangerous for bicyclists with substandard repairs.
Ghafoor seeks monetary relief, interest and all other just relief. He is represented by Paul Kay of Merchant & Kay LLC in Pittsburgh.