A lawsuit claims a man reportedly died from a poorly-maintained sidewalk, according to the Associated Press (AP).
The lawsuit was filed in filed in Clark County Superior Court on February 2 by Christine Troutt, the sister of Robert Willard Smith. In the early hours of January 28, 2020, Smith was found dead on the sidewalk on Northeast Fourth Plain Boulevard, The Columbian reported.
“The sidewalk at that location was found in a state of serious disrepair,” the suit claims. “A municipality such as the city of Vancouver has a duty to exercise ordinary care in the maintenance of its sidewalks to keep them in a condition that is reasonably safe for ordinary use.”
David Mann, Troutt's lawyer, said the case is in discovery and they've ordered an autopsy. She is seeking an undetermined amount in damages along with reimbursement for legal fees, AP reported. It's unclear from the lawsuit how the sidewalk's poor repair may have led to Smith's death.
“The city is aware of Mr. Smith’s death and our hearts go out to his family and loved ones,” according to Corrine Weiss, Vancouver’s interim communications director. “While his death is tragic, we have yet to be presented with any evidence that Mr. Smith tripped on a city sidewalk, let alone that such a trip was the cause of his death. For this reason, the city cannot agree that this is an incident for which Vancouver’s taxpayers should bear any liability."
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