HOUSTON – A woman who claims she slipped and fell after disembarking an escalator at Bush Intercontinental Airport recently had her lawsuit tossed by the 14th Court of Appeals.
Back in 2018, Lourdes Ayala filed suit against the city of Houston, alleging premises liability and negligence.
Ayala claims that she was disembarking an escalator in one of the airport’s terminals when she slipped and fell on an “orange foreign substance at the bottom of the escalator, which she did not see until after she had fallen,” court records state.
In response to the suit, the city filed a plea to the jurisdiction, arguing that Ayala’s suit was barred by governmental immunity.
In her response, Ayala argued that there was evidence that the city actually knew of the orange foreign substance, and that she was an invitee of the airport because she had purchased a plane ticket, which entitled her to the use of the airport premises.
A trial court denied the city’s plea, leading to the appeal.
On June 17, the 14th Court determined the trial court erred, reversing the denial and dismissing the case for want of jurisdiction.
The city is represented in part by City Attorney Ronald Lewis.
Ayala is represented by the Houston law firm Armstrong & Lee.
Appeals case No. 14-20-00164