Sandra Duritza, representing plaintiff Sharawn Laws, has filed a lawsuit against the City and County of San Francisco and the City College of San Francisco. The complaint was lodged on January 30, 2025, in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The case revolves around allegations of negligence that led to severe personal injuries for Laws.
The incident at the heart of this legal battle occurred on March 11, 2024. According to the complaint, Sharawn Laws was walking along a concrete walkway located at 50 Frida Kahlo Way in San Francisco when she tripped over an uneven section of sidewalk. This walkway is owned and maintained by the defendants—the City and County of San Francisco and the City College of San Francisco. The plaintiff asserts that these entities failed in their duty to ensure that the walkway was safe for public use. "Defendants negligently owned, controlled, managed, and maintained the subject concrete walkway," states the complaint, leading to Laws' fall and subsequent injuries.
Laws accuses the defendants of breaching their duty of care by not maintaining or inspecting the walkway properly. She argues that they were aware or should have been aware of the hazardous condition posed by an uneven surface in a high-traffic area but did nothing to rectify it or warn pedestrians like herself. The negligence claim suggests that this oversight created an unreasonable risk of harm which directly resulted in her injuries.
In her pursuit for justice, Laws seeks several forms of relief from the court. She requests general damages for her pain and suffering as well as economic damages related to medical expenses incurred due to her injuries. Additionally, she seeks compensation for loss of earnings and diminished earning capacity resulting from her accident. Her legal team also demands prejudgment interest along with any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
The legal representation for Sharawn Laws is provided by Sandra Duritza from The Advocates Personal Injury Law LLP. The case is presided over by judges from the Superior Court of California under Case ID CGC-25-621976.