In a dramatic legal confrontation, a resident of Lakewood, Florida, has taken the City of Riviera Beach to court over allegations of negligence that resulted in significant personal injuries. The complaint was filed by Clorine Howe-Muhammad on January 3, 2025, in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County, Florida. Howe-Muhammad is seeking damages exceeding $100,001 from the City of Riviera Beach following an incident involving a hazardous utility box.
The case revolves around an incident that occurred on April 13, 2023. On this day, Clorine Howe-Muhammad claims she was walking as an invitee along a sidewalk at or near 127 W. Blue Heron Boulevard in Riviera Beach when her footwear became ensnared by a broken utility box. This defect allegedly caused her to fall and sustain serious injuries. The plaintiff asserts that the utility box had been neglected for years and posed a foreseeable risk to pedestrians due to its defective condition.
Howe-Muhammad accuses the City of Riviera Beach of several counts of negligence. She argues that the city failed to maintain and inspect the property adequately, did not warn visitors about potential dangers, and neglected to repair or restrict access to hazardous areas like the faulty utility box. According to the complaint, these failures constitute breaches of duty owed by the city to ensure public safety on its premises.
The lawsuit details various damages suffered by Howe-Muhammad as a result of her fall. These include bodily injury leading to pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, medical expenses, and loss of earnings capacity. The plaintiff contends that these injuries are either permanent or will continue into the future.
In response to these grievances, Howe-Muhammad seeks judgment against Riviera Beach for compensatory damages along with costs associated with legal action and pre-judgment interest on past medical expenses and wage losses where applicable. She has demanded a trial by jury to determine fair compensation for her claims.
Representing Clorine Howe-Muhammad are attorneys Andrew H. Barnett and Marcus W. Viles from Viles & Beckman LLC based in Fort Myers, Florida. The Case Number is: 502025CA000045XXXAMB Div: AK.