PERSONAL INJURY: Superior Court jury awards $416,000.00 in defective sidewalk claim

The plaintiff tripped and fell when her foot hit a two-inch raised portion of a public sidewalk.  She sustained a fracture to her left upper arm, requiring surgery, as well as cuts and bruises to her nose, lip, cheek, forehead, knees and upper leg.  The plaintiff claimed that the sidewalk had been in a state of disrepair for a long period of time.  The plaintiff’s expert testified that the unevenness occurred over an extended period of time due to frost heaving.  There was also evidence as to why the plaintiff was not looking down to the sidewalk, as she approached a busy intersection that she would soon be crossing with a lot of traffic.

Hoffman v. City of Bridgeport