Auld vs City of Seattle et al

On June 20, 2024, a Washington jury found Defendants City of Seattle and 14th & Dravus, LLC liable for negligence and awarded $13.1 million to Plaintiff Leslie Auld in the present personal injury case.

Case Background

On May 27, 2022, Plaintiffs Lesley M. Auld and James Auld filed a personal injury lawsuit before the Washington State Superior Court, King County. Hon Annette Messitt presided over this case. [Case number: 22-2-08004-3]

Cause

Plaintiffs Lesley Mettler Auld and James Auld, residents of the State of Washington, were married. Defendant City of Seattle, a municipal corporation operating in King County, Washington, and Defendant 14th & Dravus LLC, a Washington limited liability company based at 200 1st Avenue West, Suite 520, Seattle, WA, 98119, were involved in the disputed incident. The incident occurred on the south sidewalk of West Dravus Street, between 13th Avenue West and 14th Avenue West, in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood. On July 8, 2021, Plaintiff Lesley Auld, aged 53, an ultramarathon athlete, was walking westbound on the south sidewalk of West Dravus Street when she slipped and fell on a slippery patch of the sidewalk. Despite the dry July weather, sediment, organic material, water, and algae had created an unexpectedly slippery surface. The slippery condition was allegedly partly caused by water from Defendant 14th & Dravus LLC's property, according to information and belief. The sidewalk was hazardous and unreasonably dangerous where the incident occurred. There were no warning signs to alert pedestrians to the hazard at the time of Plaintiff's fall. Defendant 14th & Dravus LLC, and the City of Seattle were aware of previous injuries and complaints regarding the dangerous condition of the sidewalk where Plaintiff Lesley Auld was injured. Despite this knowledge, no corrective action had been taken. As a result of her fall and the negligence of the Defendants, Plaintiff Lesley Auld sustained serious physical injuries.

Injury

As a consequence of her fall and the Defendants' negligence, Plaintiff Lesley Auld sustained severe physical injuries. Following her fall and due to the Defendants' negligence, Plaintiff Lesley Auld severely damaged her quadriceps and underwent surgical procedures. Plaintiff Lesley Auld's medical treatment for her injuries has been ongoing, and she