Raised sidewalk + broken kneecap = $137,500

San Diego city councilmembers were expected on February 26th to give final approval for a payout over injuries caused by an uneven sidewalk.

The city agreed to pay Lynn Whitehouse $137,500 to settle a complaint she filed after falling on a raised portion of sidewalk in North Park in January 2016. The sidewalk located near 30th Street and University Avenue, according to a city staff report, was damaged as a result of "poor soil" and a tree root.

The fall broke Whitehouse's kneecap and required multiple surgeries.

The newly announced settlement is the latest in a long string of payouts over San Diego's crumbling sidewalks.

As reported by the Reader, a recent public records request showed that city paid more than $5.3 million to settle lawsuits and other claims brought as a result of damaged sidewalks.

A separate public records request, also reported by the Reader, shows that 14 additional claims were submitted to the city from October 2017 to December 2017.

The most recent settlement for $137,500 includes attorney fees.