Suit over icy road incident takes nine years to resolve

Improper roadway cleanup from an earlier storm and “ponding” that resulting from poor drainage made the Oakwood Beach intersection on Staten Island, N.Y, a hazardous place in the winter of 2004. On one particular afternoon, Christopher Litrell Jr., 10 years old at the time and attempting to walk his scooter across the street, slipped and fell on an icy part of the intersection as a minivan approached the intersection. He was struck by the vehicle, suffering two broken legs, a shattered pelvis and a traumatic brain injury. A legal case arose over the incident but it took nine years to get to trial. The lawsuit against the city settled during trial recently for $2 million, according to a news report of the case. Now 19, Litrell functions intellectually at a third-grade level. Learn more about premises liability lawsuits.