A woman is suing her landlords and unknown parties for negligence after a severe fall. Patricia Harwell filed the complaint in the Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County on September 21, 2022, against Matthew Kates and Janice Perkins.
According to the court documents, Harwell claims that Kates and Perkins, who own or manage the property at 100 Partridge Avenue in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, allowed a dangerous condition to persist on their premises. Specifically, she alleges that a broken and malfunctioning front door was left unrepaired for an unreasonable period. On September 21, 2022, Harwell, a lawful tenant and business invitee at the property, fell due to this hazardous condition. She suffered significant injuries including left knee injuries, exacerbation of right knee injuries, and right shoulder injuries.
The lawsuit accuses Kates and Perkins of multiple counts of negligence. The defendants allegedly failed to maintain the premises properly by not repairing the defective front door or warning tenants about its condition. "The dangerous condition created a reasonably foreseeable risk of the kind of injuries which Plaintiff sustained," states one part of the complaint. Furthermore, they are accused of failing to hire competent contractors for repairs and disregarding their duty to keep the premises safe.
Harwell's legal team argues that these failures directly resulted in her fall and subsequent injuries. The plaintiff has incurred medical expenses and may continue to do so indefinitely. Additionally, she claims a severe loss of earnings and impairment of earning capacity due to her injuries. The complaint also mentions that Harwell has suffered mental anguish and humiliation as a result of the accident.
In addition to Kates and Perkins, Harwell is suing three unidentified parties referred to as John Doe 1-3. These individuals are believed to be involved in property management or maintenance roles related to the premises' upkeep. The complaint suggests these unknown defendants may have had responsibilities similar to those attributed to Kates and Perkins.
Harwell seeks judgment against all defendants jointly or severally for damages not exceeding arbitration limits plus interest and costs. She is represented by Michael C. Gallagher from Clearfield & Kofsky law firm.