On the east walkway of Knight St. Bridge between Richmond, BC (Canada) and Vancouver, just on the last stage (from a north-bound point of view) before the turn-off to Marine Way, there is a permanent obstruction in the path: a concrete light pole smack in the middle of the path.

I got hurt there two weeks ago. I swerved right around the pole. Unfortunately, just after the pole there is bad drainage, with inches of accumulated dirt. Though it was a sunny August day, there was a thick mud puddle due to it having rained the previous day. I had not seen any patch of wetness anywhere all day; it all concentrated there. That in itself wouldn't have been a problem, had I gone straight through the mud. Unfortunately, maybe two meters after that point, some scavenging person left several garbage bags of junk (such as wire to be recycled). After swerving right around the pole, my attention was on the bags which I planned to avoid by swerving left again. My back tire skidded on the strip of mud and I fell over.

Though I had no scratches or bruises anywhere, something happened to my left knee. I don't remember having landed in any funny position, and there was none of the typical pain from after an impact. But I noticed a sharp pain in the knee after standing up and trying to get back on the bike. It became very painful and swollen the next day. I was not able to straighten the leg or completely fold the knee. It became impossible to crouch down. Putting a sock or shoe on the left foot became a challenge. Multiple places are sprained in that joint, it seems. I've had hip pain as well, as if shooting up the hamstring or IT band from that knee to the hip.

Two-and-a-half weeks later, it's showing only small signs of recovery and slightly improved mobility. I can fully straighten the leg and I've been able to bend the knee all thee way with my hand (no weight on it: that hurts like hell). Had an X-ray last week. I don't know the result; nothing might show. Dr's office called today for a follow-up appointment in two days.

The ironic thing is that I had crossed the entire bridge deck in a vehicle traffic lane, not on the bike/pedestrian walkway! I decided to get off the road and enter this last stage of the walkway, just before that pole, to avoid the traffic pile up on the off-ramp due to big trucks taking up most of the shoulder and whatnot.

Please have a consult with a lawyer you really do deserve some compensation