Bwog informant “please remove my name” forwarded us an email from one litigious young graduate who slipped and fell in front of the library a few years ago. Naturally, she’s suing Columbia and currently in the midst of trying to amass other slip victims to stregnthen her case. It is, after all, the American way.

However, she’s having trouble finding and getting in touch with fellow accident veterans, but she’s positive they exist — she’s even witnessed someone else slip in front of Butler as she was waiting for her own ambulance. “In our discovery claim against Columbia, they claimed there have been no previous reported complaints, falls, or injuries in that area, which I find very difficult to believe.”

Full letter (personal information redacted) after the jump. 

Dear fellow classmates,

I am a Columbia grad (class of ‘07) and in December of 2004 I slipped and fell on Columbia’s brick sidewalk right outside the Butler library, breaking my knee.  I am involved in a lawsuit with Columbia right now, but my case would be stronger if I had records or reports of other students who have experienced a fall or injury in that area.  I know for a fact that others have fallen in that area (someone else fell while I was waiting for my ambulance), and I have heard of, but been unable to locate, others who have injured themselves in that area and have had “sealed” settlements.

In our discovery claim against Columbia, they claimed there have been no previous reported complaints, falls, or injuries in that area, which I find very difficult to believe.  If you or someone you know has previously filed a complaint about the safety of the sidewalks outside of Butler, or if you know of anyone who has been involved in a similar suit (even if their case has been sealed as a condition of settlement), it would be extremely helpful to me to have any information you can provide.

I am to have a settlement offer conference soon, so this is time sensitive.  I am not looking to press a frivolous lawsuit, I will have ongoing pain and complications related to my knee injury, and I find it infuriating that Columbia refuses to even acknowledge that there is a problem, let alone take action to prevent future classmates from being injured.


If you know of anyone who may have helpful information, please contact me at [redacted]. My UNI was [redacted].  Even if you don’t contact me, if you ever should fall at the campus, please take the time to file a complaint so that there is a record of the incident.  As long as the problem goes unreported, the situation will not change.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.