Woman seeking $500K from U.S.A. over alleged fall at post office

CHARLESTON - A woman is suing the United States of America after she claims she was injured while at a post office.

On Jan. 22, 2011, Mary Elaine Farley was a customer and non-trespassing entrant of the United States Postal Service at the United States Post Office located in Mount Carbon, according to a complaint filed July 3 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia at Charleston.

Farley claims when she attempted to exit her vehicle in the parking lot, she fell as a result of an accumulation of water in a depression on the parking lot which had frozen.

The postal service had a non-delegable duty to use reasonable care in the maintenance of the parking lot in provided for the use of its customers, according to the suit.

Farley claims as a direct and proximate result of the defendant's negligent conduct, Farley fell and suffered severe bodily injury.

On Nov. 19, Farley submitted a claim of $500,000 to the United States Postal Service and on June 5, the United States Postal Service rejected Farley's claim, according to the suit.

Farley is seeking compensatory damages in an amount not to exceed $500,000. She is being represented by Thomas H. Peyton of Peyton Law Firm PLLC.

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia at Charleston case number: 2:13-cv-17090