Tag Archives: Edwardsville

Edwardsville, Illinois Theater Sued Over Defective Step

November 19, 2014 Mike Glisson

A local woman brought suit against Kerasotes Showplace Theater in Edwardsville, Illinois over a defective step. Interestingly, the entire trip and fall is on video. The movie goer walked down some steps in the middle of the movie to use the restroom. Between the upper and lower seats is a walkway. However, the walkway had about a 4 inch raise – for no apparent reason. It appears to be a design flaw. The woman fell straight to the ground when her foot struck the step, resulting in a signficant knee injury and surgery.

The defect is believed to be in every theater at the Edwardsville theater. Depositions have revealed that perhaps 10 or more people fell on the same or similar defect as Plaintiff. The “incident reports” produced in the lawsuit by Kerasotes indicate injuries have occurred to numerous victims and Kerasotes has yet to remedy the situation.

In trip and fall type cases, a Plaintiff must prove that the owner had knowledge of a dangerous condition. It is often difficult to prove a Defendant knew or should have known of a dangerous condition – they regularly deny knowledge of a defect. Here, Kerasotas acknowledges the situation via numerous reports, but has failed to make the condition safer for customers.

In addition to this case, the law firm of WWF&G handles numerous lawsuits similar to the one at hand, and in fact, has a second case involving this theater. If you were injured by a defect at a business (i.e. McDonalds, Gas Stations, Restaurants, Parking Lots, Department Stores), please call us for a free consultation at 618-462-1077.

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Edwardsville Illinois Restaurant Sued Over Salmonella Outbreak

November 19, 2014 Mike Glisson

Several patrons of a popular downtown Edwardsville, Illinois restaurant and tavern became sick after dining in February of 2007. Three women dining together at Vanzo’s were subsequently diagnosed with salmonella, along with several others.

Madison County Health officials investigated the claims. Vanzo’s agreed to shut down for a period of time during the investigation and was sold soon thereafter unrelated to the outbreak.

All victims dealt with cramping, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea for a few weeks. One of the victims in her 20s was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis only 4 months after the incident and continues to deal with symptoms she did not have before the illness. Her physicians believe the illness triggered symptoms that otherwise may have remained dormant. Another victim was set to take the California bar exam, and was forced to take the exam one week later while suffering from ongoing symptoms.

Two of the lawsuits were filed on the arbitration docket in Madison County, Illinois, and arbitrators recently rendered verdicts in favor of two of the victims.

One of the theories of recovery in a food poisoning case is strict liability. Under the theory of strict liability, restaurants may be held “strictly liable” for certain activities that harm others, even if they have not acted negligently. One of the reasons for this protection is that restaurants are in the best position to protect their customers, and obviously customers are at their mercy.

What are the causes of salmonella poisoning? There are several ways. Food may be contaminated during food processing or food handling. The unwashed hands of an infected food handler will contaminate food. A frequent cause is a food handler who does not wash his or her hands with soap after using the bathroom.

The law firm of WWF&G successfully represented 3 victims of this outbreak. Our firm has represented numerous victims of foodborne illnesses, and prosecutes these cases to the fullest extent. Recent cases include a claim against Taco Bell, as well as Peter Pan Peanut Butter in the widespread outbreak. Please contact our firm for a free consultation at 618-462-1077.

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Edwardsville Illinois Toddler Seriously Injured After Days of Abuse

November 19, 2014 Mike Glisson

Two-year-old Amanda Runyon is still recovering after several weeks in the hospital and multiple surgeries. According to the Globe-Democrat, the toddler was brought to the hospital on March 1st after the child was vomiting and drifting in and out of consciousness. Authorities later revealed that the injuries occurred after days of abuse at the hands of the child’s mother’s boyfriend, 24-year-old Kraig Monroe.

Monroe was arrested in his trailer on the same afternoon the child was admitted to the hospital. Besides suffering from a broken arm and severe bruising, doctors were forced to remove ¼ of Runyon’s intestines. Monroe is being charged with aggravated battery of a child. He is currently being held on $500,000 bail.

At the time of the beating, the toddler was living in a trailer with her mother, Dawn Obptande. When authorities came to the trailer to arrest Monroe, they noted that the living conditions were unsanitary and found drug paraphernalia inside the residence.

Runyon’s condition has recently been upgraded to fair from serious and has been moved out of the intensive care unit at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, where she was airlifted over two weeks ago. At this time, no charges have been pressed against the child’s mother.

Child abuse is a serious issue in the United States. Childhelp, a national organization that seeks to prevent child abuse, estimates that almost five children die on a daily basis as a result of abuse or neglect. Almost 68% of child abuse occurs at the hands of a family member.

Abuse can come from not only a family member, but also occurs at daycares, nursing homes, schools and other care centers. If you know someone who may be suffering from abuse, you may have a claim. Please do not hesitate to contact the law firm of WWF&G at 1-800-WWFGLAW or 618-567-8030 for a free consultation.

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Slip and fall suit against Edwardsville Target

November 19, 2014 Mike Glisson

An Edwardsville woman has filed suit against the Target Corporation claiming she sustained injuries after slipping and falling in the Edwardsville Target retail store.

The suit states that “as the Plaintiff was moving from the carpeted to the non-carpeted surface, her foot slid on the carpeting and onto the adjacent area, causing Plaintiff to fall to the floor.” Her complaint seeks a judgment of more than $50,000.

Slips, trips and falls cause 15% of all accidental deaths and are second only to car accidents.

The law firm of WWF&G has represented numerous victims of slip and fall accidents. If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident, please call us for a free consultation at 1-800-WWFGLAW.