Lawsuit against

Blowing Rock

under way in

Superior Court
By Melanie Davis

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A civil trial is under way in a lawsuit against the town of Blowing Rock.

The lawsuit was filed by Robert Cobb, father of a 12-year-old girl who fell at Glen Burney Falls in August 2004.

The girl was hiking on the Glen Burney Trail, off Annie Cannon Memorial Park, with an 11-year-old friend when the accident occurred. Cobb’s daughter slipped on the rocks, falling an estimated 30 feet onto the rocks at the bottom of the Glen Burney Falls. She suffered severe back, hip and leg injuries in the accident.

Cobb is seeking reimbursement and future coverage of medical expenses, which total hundreds of thousands of dollars, although a specific number has not been provided.

The juvenile has undergone multiple surgeries and is facing several more, according to Cobb.

The basis for the legal argument, Cobb told the Watauga Democrat, is the lack of warning signage and proper safety barriers.

“The area is very popular with kids in Blowing Rock,” Cobb said. “It is accessed from the park where a lot of the kids play after school.”

The waterfall was estimated in open court to be one quarter to one half mile from the park trail head.

Cobb was working at a shop he owned on Main Street when the accident occurred.

“One of the reasons people move to Blowing Rock is the safety of allowing children to go to the parks and recreation facilities after school or during the summer,” he said, referring to his daughter being on the trail without an adult.

Jury selection began Monday in superior court and the evidence presentation stage is now under way.

The jury heard testimony from past and present parks and recreation directors for the town.

Photographs of the area in question have been presented for illustrative purposes.

The defense presented information regarding safety precautions which were in placed several years ago, but had been taken down or fallen down at the time of the accident.

The town of Blowing Rock is being represented by the law firm Clawson and Staubes of Charlotte.

The Cobb family is being represented by Brown, Moore and Associates of Charlotte.

Superior Court Judge Andy Chromer of Stokes County is presiding over the case, which is expected to last two to three weeks.

Messages left with Blowing Rock officials seekign comment on the suit had not been returned as of Thursday morning.