Man sues apartment complex for icy sidewalks

HUNTINGTON -- A Kanawha County man is suing Courtyard by Pyramid Properties after he slipped on an icy sidewalk and was injured.

Courtyard by Pyramid Properties Annex and AAC OP Management were also named as defendants in the suit.

On Feb. 1, 2010, Chirag Patel exited his apartment at The Village and was walking on a sidewalk that leads to the parking lot when he slipped on ice and fell, according to a complaint filed Oct. 27 in Cabell Circuit Court.

Patel claims the sidewalk was poorly illuminated and he could not see the patches of ice on the sidewalk when he slipped on the ice and suffered a fracture to his right arm.

The defendants owed a duty of care to maintain the premises in a reasonably safe condition and failed to do so, according to the suit.

Patel claims the defendants created an unreasonably dangerous condition by failing to remove the patches of ice.

The defendants also failed to apply salt and/or other chemical to the sidewalk to melt the patches of ice and failed to provide adequate illumination to the sidewalk, according to the suit.

Patel is seeking compensatory damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. He is being represented by Brett J. Preston, C. Benjamin Salango and Dan R. Snuffer.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge F. Jane Hustead.

Cabell Circuit Court case number: 11-C-803