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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

City eyes $200,000 settlement with woman who fell on uneven sidewalk in 2019

City Council members are set to vote Monday on a $200,000 settlement with a woman injured falling on a buckled sidewalk in 2019.   (Christopher Anderson)

A woman is poised to receive a $200,000 settlement from the city of Spokane more than a year after she fell on an uneven sidewalk and suffered serious injuries.

The Spokane City Council will vote Monday on the proposed settlement of a claim Jessica Warren, 33, and her attorneys filed after her Sept. 17, 2019, fall.

According to the claim filed last July, Warren was walking her daughter to school on West Dean Avenue when she tripped on a buckled sidewalk, “sustaining a severe injury to her left elbow and right knee.”

Warren required surgery on her knee, and the claim estimated her total damages to be $2.4 million.

The proposed settlement is the result of mediation. As part of the agreement, Warren would agree to give up her right to sue the city over the incident.

The City Council has not discussed the settlement in open session, but City Attorney Michael Ormsby told its members during a briefing Monday that it is “a very reasonable settlement.”

Warren declined to comment when reached Thursday by The Spokesman-Review.

Under city code, adjacent property owners are required to maintain the sidewalk, but that does not absolve the city of all liability, according to city spokesperson Marlene Feist.

People can report unsafe sidewalks through the 311 system to city code enforcement officials, who will alert property owners of any issues.

Since the incident, the nearby property owner has repaired the buckled sidewalk.

The city does not maintain an inventory of dangerous or damaged sidewalks, according to Feist, but “when we go out and we do projects, if we think the sidewalk needs to be replaced as part of the evaluation, we would include that.”