Laura Fincher has filed suit against the Catholic Diocese of Belleville, claiming her ankle was broken after she tripped over an unmarked stoop at a building owned by the diocese at 2620 Lebanon Ave. in Belleville.
Fincher tripped on a landing on Sept. 9, according to the complaint filed Oct. 17 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.
The landing contained no signs or brightly colored paint to indicate a drop, Fincher claims.
Thomas G. Maag of Wendler Law in Edwardsville will be representing her.
Because of her fall, Fincher has endured past and future pain and suffering, past and future medical expenses, past and future lost wages, past and future loss of a normal life and permanent scarring and disfigurement, the suit states.
Fincher claims the diocese breached its duty of care because it failed to put up warning signs, failed to paint or mark the drop, failed to redesign the landing to eliminate the drop and failed to put a ramp on the landing.
Fincher is seeking a judgment in excess of $50,000, plus costs and other relief the court deems appropriate.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 08-L-523.
Catholic Diocese blamed for not painting landing a bright, distinctive color
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