In a compelling legal drama unfolding in San Francisco, a Massachusetts resident has filed a lawsuit against several major entities, alleging negligence and other serious charges. Rebecca Center, the plaintiff, filed her complaint on March 24, 2025, in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Francisco. The defendants named in this case include Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E), PG&E Corporation, Mission Constructors, Inc., and the City and County of San Francisco.
The case revolves around an incident that occurred on March 30, 2024. Rebecca Center was walking along a public sidewalk on 17th Street in San Francisco when she tripped over an uneven piece of plywood covering a utility vault. This fall resulted in severe injuries including a fractured shoulder and facial lacerations. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of general negligence, premises liability, violation of public utilities code §2106, dangerous condition of public property under California Government Code §§ 830 et seq., and negligence by public employees.
According to the complaint, prior to the incident, the City and County of San Francisco had notified PG&E about a damaged utility vault cover that needed repair. It is alleged that after PG&E undertook repairs on March 24, 2024, they left two pieces of unsecured plywood over the repaired area without any warning signs or indicators for pedestrians. "The plywood coverings were not flush with the existing pavement," creating a hazardous vertical lip that led to Center's accident.
Rebecca Center’s legal team argues that these actions constituted negligence as they failed to maintain safe conditions on public property and did not provide adequate warnings about potential hazards. The lawsuit claims that all defendants had either actual or constructive notice of this dangerous condition but failed to take appropriate measures to rectify it or warn pedestrians like Center.
Center seeks compensatory damages exceeding $800,000 for her medical expenses, loss of earnings capacity due to her injuries which may be permanent in nature, and other related costs. Her attorneys argue that these damages are justified given the extent of her injuries and the alleged negligence involved.
Representing Rebecca Center is attorney Shaana A. Rahman from Rahman Law PC based in Paso Robles. The case is being heard under Case No.: CGC-25-623514 by Judge Sahar Enayati at the Superior Court of California for San Francisco County.