A recent "8News Investigates" report highlighted more than 1,000 Richmond city blocks with sidewalks badly in need of repairs, and the backlog to fix them currently at almost 100 years.
Now, 8News is looking into lawsuits filed against Richmond because of dangerous walking conditions.
"I have fallen several times on the sidewalks walking my dogs," said Marsha Tillman, one of several individuals who have complained to the city over the crumbling walkways. She's not alone.
8News obtained data describing the dozens of lawsuits filed against Richmond in just the past three years as a result of sidewalk and curbing issues. One person was even injured while walking in a breast cancer awareness event, tripping over the uneven sidewalk and fracturing her wrist.
A student at the school for the blind on Azalea Avenue tripped over a raised portion of sidewalk, injuring a shoulder. Yet another claimant fell into a hole in a sidewalk, suffering knee, foot and hand injuries.
The state of Richmond sidewalks is putting the city at risk (and therefore the taxpayer at risk) of liability.
"It faces liability of possible claims of negligence by anyone who trips and falls or has any other accident caused by the defective sidewalk," said local attorney Bud Funk.
The cost of fixing the sidewalk repair projects the city has already evaluated stands at more than $21 million. For this year, the city only has $750,000 budgeted for the issue, opening the door for more lawsuits.
8News did some digging and found out that surprisingly, very few of these lawsuits actually result in payouts. The city, it turns out, is hiding behind a law that few other states recognize. Basically, if the claimant can be considered partially responsible for an injury and the city is also found partially responsible, then the claimant doesn't have a claim.
In most other states, the claimant would be awarded partial compensation. The General Assembly has been asked multiple times to remove this clause, but has refused to act.
End result? Walk city sidewalks at your own risk.
Stay with 8News for updates.
Copyright 2012 by Young Broadcasting of Richmond
