After deliberating one hour and 40 minutes, a Madison County jury handed down a defense verdict in a two-day slip and fall trial.
Plaintiff Helen White filed suit in November 2006, against Richard Minton of Godfrey, alleging she injured her left ankle on Feb. 18, 2006, at her Alton rental home Minton owned.
White claims she was exiting her home when she stepped into a hole located in the common lawn area, fracturing her ankle.
The property in question is located at 721 East 6th St. in Alton.
Represented by J. Robert Edmonds of Alton, White asked the jury to return a verdict in her favor of at least $100,000.
She alleged Minton was negligent by failing to provide her a good, safe and proper place to walk on the premises, failed to provide a proper means of ingress and egress to and from the property, failed to inspect the property and failed to warn her that there was a dangerous condition on the premises.
Minton was represented by David Hesi of St. Louis.
He told the jury that it was White, not himself, who was negligent in the case.
Minton said White was careless by failing to maintain a proper lookout in the area she was walking and failed to observe the hole which could easily have been seen by the human eye.
The jury agreed and returned a verdict in favor of Minton.
Madison County Circuit Judge Andy Matoesian presided over the trial.
06 L 1033
Defense verdict: Jury says plaintiff responsible for slip and fall
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY