The White House has faced lawsuits lately over a everything from the Affordable Care Act and immigration policy, to the National Security Agency’s phone data surveillance program.
Now add slippery porta-potties to the list.
A Fairfax Station woman has filed a $4 million lawsuit over a tumble she took at the 2012 White House Easter Egg Roll, blaming her fall on wet flooring outside a group of portable toilets at the event.
In a 3-page complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the District, Monica Ellis says she exited a porta-potty at the April 9, 2012 event and slipped on a wet set of stairs, shattering her foot when she fell.
The lawsuit, filed on Thursday, claims negligence on behalf of the United States for failure to maintain the porta-potties in a safe manner and to keep the nearby stairs free of water.
Ms. Ellis’ complaint states that water was available for hand washing at the porta-potty station but that there were no towels or hand dryers in the vicinity.
“As a result, water collected on the stairs making them slick,” the complaint states.
According to the lawsuit, Ms. Ellis shattered her foot when she fell and she has had to undergo “extensive surgery to the breaks, which included the insertion of multiple pins.”
Ms. Ellis claims to have incurred medical expenses from a 1-week hospital stay and physical therapy. She says she suffered both physical and mental pain and anguish as a result of the incident and that she has lost wages as a result.
Neither Ms. Ellis nor her attorney could be reached on Monday, a federal holiday.
A summons in the case filed Friday lists Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., U.S. Attorney for the District Ronald C. Machen Jr., and Solicitor of the Department of Interior Hilary Tompkins as defendants in the claim.
Spokespeople for both the White House and the Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
• Andrea Noble can be reached at anoble@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.