The Bulkley Valley school district is denying blame for the injuries a Houston woman allegedly suffered by slipping and falling in the community's high school parking lot two years ago.
In a response filed last week to a notice of civil claim from Roberta Russell, the school district says the parking lot had been plowed by Grouse Mountain Trucking Ltd., the company contracted to do the work, during the morning of Oct. 29, 2012 prior to the alleged incident.
"A reasonable system of inspection and maintenance was in place and operating throughout the parking lot at all material times," the school district further states and adds it was in a "reasonably safe state and condition" at the time.
If Russell sustained her injuries on that day and at that location, the school district contends it was due to her own negligence by not taking appropriate care when walking through the parking lot.
In her notice of claim, filed with B.C. Supreme Court in Prince George in late October, Russell says she suffers continuing pain from the fall, which left her with fractures to her left forearm and a sharp pain in her tailbone and required surgery on her left wrist.
In part, she is suing for lost wages, future loss of earning capacity and medical costs.
None of the allegations have yet been proven in court.
