Facts

Plaintiff Juanita Johnson parked her car along the curb of MacArthur Blvd. in the City of Oakland. After exiting, she walked in the direction of a nearby church. She then tripped over an exposed streetlight base and suffered injuries. She sued the city for premises liability.

PLAINTIFF'S CONTENTIONS:
Plaintiff contended that the streetlight base was left unsecured and uncovered with wires, nuts, and bolts exposed without any warnings on the sidewalk area. Plaintiff denied seeing the exposed base at any time before the fall.

DEFENDANT'S CONTENTIONS:
The city contended that the streetlight base was part of an ongoing construction in the area. The city contended that the condition was open and obvious and that plaintiff was negligent in not seeing the base and avoiding it.

Injuries

Plaintiff suffered injuries to her lip and elbow, loss of a tooth, and was fractured in the rib.

Result

The parties settled for $55,000.