Ameren and Charter sued over worker's fall from pole

A St. Clair County man working as a subcontractor is suing over injuries he sustained in a work-related fall.

Randall Lewis filed a lawsuit Aug. 15 in Madison County Circuit Court against Ameren Illinois Company and Charter Communications LLC, citing negligence.

According to the complaint, Lewis was employed with Aero Communication on Aug. 8, 2013, when he was ordered to climb to the top of a bump pole owned and maintained by Ameren in order to replace wires. After he reached the top of the pole, it snapped and he fell 20 feet to the ground.

He claims Ameren was negligent in failing to warn him of the hazardous condition of the pole, in failing to maintain the pole and was otherwise negligent in the maintenance and upkeep of its property, the suit states.

Charter LLC was allegedly negligent in failing to warn Lewis of the hazardous condition of the pole, in failing to maintain the pole and was otherwise negligent in the maintenance and upkeep of its property and that it directed the plaintiff to climb a pole with Charter's wires on it, when the company had no right to have wires on the pole.

As a result of his fall, Lewis suffered severe injury and pain in his back and lost enjoyment of life, the filing states.

Lewis is seeking judgments in an amount greater than $50,000, plus costs. He is represented by attorney Matthew P. Young of the Kuehn Law Firm in Belleville.

Madison County Circuit Court case 14-L-1119.