Almost Home Realty sued by tenant over front yard injury

A Wood River woman says her landlords' failure to finish a project in the front yard of the rental home she was vacating caused her to sustain an injury to her right leg.

Georgia Seets filed a lawsuit Aug. 15 in the Madison Circuit Court against Kent Barnett and Margaret Barnett, doing business as Almost Home Realty, alleging their failure to properly take care of the yard of a rental property led the plaintiff's injury.

According to the complaint, on April 1, Seets was walking through the front yard of her rental property to the door and the ground around her gave way. The plaintiff's knee twisted and popped, causing an injury, the suit states. Seets says the defendants had begun a project in the yard several months before and had not returned the yard to its earlier condition, or completed the job.

The lawsuit alleges the defendants were negligent in failing to complete the job they had started months before, and they allowed the soil to drain, creating a hole beneath the surface of the yard, which caused Seets' foot to slide and twist.

As a result, Seets' right knee and medial tibial plateau were injured, she has dealt with pain and injury that required surgery, lost wages and a diminished capacity to work.

Seets seeks a judgment in excess of $50,000, plus the costs. She is represented by attorney James E. Gorman of Lucco, Brown, Threlkeld and Dawson LLP of Edwardsville.

Madison County Circuit Court case 14-L-1123.