A pedestrian’s unfortunate encounter with a poorly maintained sidewalk has led to a legal battle against a Florida city. Sarah Ritchie, a resident of Pennsylvania, filed a complaint on March 10, 2025, in the Circuit Court of the Sixth Judicial Circuit in Pinellas County, Florida, accusing the City of St. Pete Beach of negligence.

According to the lawsuit, Ritchie was walking along a sidewalk near Pass-a-Grille Beach on June 2, 2022, when she tripped over grating on a pedestrian walkway. The complaint alleges that the City of St. Pete Beach failed in its duty to maintain safe public sidewalks and is responsible for her injuries. Ritchie’s legal team claims that the city neglected to inspect or adequately maintain the walkway and failed to warn pedestrians about potential hazards. “The Defendant owed the Plaintiff the duty to exercise reasonable care for her safety,” states the complaint.

Ritchie asserts that this negligence resulted in significant physical and emotional distress. She sustained bodily injuries leading to pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life. Furthermore, she incurred expenses related to medical treatment and lost wages due to her inability to work following the incident.

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