Westmoreland County agrees to $45K settlement with Delmont woman for injuries

A Delmont woman will be paid $45,000 for injuries she claims to have sustained in a fall at Twin Lakes Park while attending the Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival nearly six years ago.

According to the lawsuit filed against Westmoreland County in 2016, Juliana Artascos said she was injured after parking in a 15-acre field at the park as she attended the festival on July 4, 2014.

“As Ms. Artascos was walking to the festival she stepped into a groundhog hole that was several feet in depth with her left leg. As Juliana’s leg fell into the hole, her forward momentum continued which caused her leg and knee to wrench, resulting in serious and severe injuries to her left leg and knee,” according to court documents.

Artascos had sought damages for her injuries, claiming the county was at fault for not properly maintaining the area where visitors were charged $5 to park.

According to court documents, county officials admitted workers discovered the hole the day before Artascos was injured and left a hay bale over the opening, rather than taking a more permanent corrective action, such as filling it with gravel.

In her lawsuit, Artascos sought damages for pain and suffering, mental and emotional distress, medical expenses, lost wages and impairment to her general health and capacity to enjoy a normal lifestyle.

The case had been scheduled for trial next year. Commissioners approved the settlement on Thursday.

The county was the lone defendant remaining in the lawsuit. A judge previously dismissed the Westmoreland County Arts and Heritage Festival Inc. and the Rails-to Trails Conservancy from the case. Both had originally been sued along with the county.