Personal Injury Law

Plaintiff Awarded $14 Million in Utility Negligence Case

Plaintiffs who were the property owners of eight houses that were destroyed by a landslide in a home subdivision alleged there was utility negligence and failure to repair a water leak in a timely manner. The association consists of 58 units. The plaintiffs maintained that the city and its water authority were negligent in failing to repair a leaking fire hydrant and underground water main in a timely manner. Eyewitness reports alleged that a fire hydrant was leaking for six days prior to the landslide. The plaintiffs contended that phone calls were made to the city to for a repair but no one responded in six days. The hydrant was repaired after the sixth day but it had already leaked thousands of gallons of water to the ground. This excessive moisture caused the water main located in the middle of the street to move laterally. Two days after this hydrant was repaired, water started coming up through the asphalt in the middle of the street and the plaintiffs once again called the city. The city responded and turned off the water that feeds the main but left without performing any repairs. Three hours later, eight of the homes in the association slid down the hill. The plaintiffs resolved their claims for $14 million from the city and the homeowner association?s insurance. To read the full story, click here.

Full post as published by Illinois Injury Lawyer Blog on December 12, 2008 (boomark / email).