Important New Case on Pedestrian Safety: Metro is responsible to keep its floors dry for its guests
In April of this year, the D.C. Court of Appeals ruled on an important case regarding the safety of pedestrians. A D.C. Superior Court judge had ruled that Metro could not be held responsible when a customer slipped on the wet tile floor at the Archives metro station during a rain storm and sustained serious injuries. However, the lawyer for the injured pedestrian had put forth evidence from a walkway safety expert that the tiles at this metro station had become so dangerously worn down over the course of many years that they became unreasonably dangerous when they were wet. This expert performed multiple tests on the floor to determine their slip-resistance and concluded that the coefficient of friction on the floors were between .3-.35, which is well below the coefficient of friction for a safe floor of .45 or greater.
In light of the expert testimony produced by the lawyer for the pedestrian, the Court of Appeals reversed the Superior Court judge’s ruling and determined that the case should be decided by a jury.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured due to an unfortunate incident like a fall at a Metro station, tripping over a walking surface hazard, or some other type of significant trauma, please do not hesitate to call us. It is very important to obtain the advice of an attorney who is experienced in premises safety cases in order to properly evaluate your case and obtain the compensation to which you are entitled.
