A St. Clair County man is suing a St. Louis law firm for legal malpractice after it allegedly failed to file his personal injury suit before the statute of limitations expired.
James L. Alexander of Belleville filed a lawsuit on May 21 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Eric C. Abramson and Natural Bridge Legal Group LLC, practicing in St. Louis.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff claims he was seriously injured on May 24, 2012, when he stepped into a hole dug by the St. Clair County Township Sewer Department on his premises. Alexander alleged that the hole was dug without prior or subsequent notification, that the sewer department failed to fill the hole in a timely manner and that it failed to erect a barrier or fence to prevent falls.
Alexander claims he consulted with Abramson and hired him to represent him in a lawsuit against the sewer department, the suit states. However, Alexander alleges Abramson failed to file the action within the one-year statute of limitation.
The plaintiff claims he has had to forfeit the recovery of damages by settlement or award due to the attorney’s purported negligence.
The plaintiff seeks damages in excess of $50,000, plus attorney’s fees and costs. He is represented by Stephen Buser of Columbia, Ill.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-303