Walsworth Obtains Summary Judgment for Contractor Client in Slip and Fall Case

Partner Zachariah Tomlin recently secured a summary judgment victory for a landscape contractor client in a Snohomish County, Washington slip-and-fall case where the demand was close to seven figures.

The plaintiff claimed our client, who maintained the property’s irrigation systems, was negligent and caused a fall that fractured the plaintiff’s knee. Mr. Tomlin successfully argued that his client’s duty was limited to irrigation maintenance and did not extend to monitoring sidewalks or controlling the property. The court agreed, ruling that without a legal duty of care or control over the premises, a contractor cannot be held liable for such injuries.

“This ruling reinforces important boundaries around maintenance contractors’ obligations concerning their customer’s property, ensuring that liability is not unreasonably expanded beyond their contractual scope of work,” said Tomlin.

Congratulations to Zack and our dedicated staff for their exceptional work on this case. For more information on the issues presented in this matter, please contact Zachariah Tomlin.