Charter Communications sued over woman's trip into car

A woman has filed suit against Charter Communications, alleging the company's work on underground cable wires caused her to fall and sprain her ankle.

Jaclyn N. Allison-Ash and William Ash filed suit Aug. 16 in the Madison County Circuit Court against Charter Communications, Ervin Cable Construction LLC and Rene Martinez, doing business as Mata Cable Construction LLC.

According to the complaint, Allison-Ash was walking to her car when she tripped into the front driver side door and fell to the ground April 30, 2013. Immediately, Allison-Ash felt pain in her left ankle, arm, knee, lower back and buttocks, according to the complaint. She went to urgent care where she was diagnosed with a sprained ankle, the suit states.

Allison-Ash's fall occurred at 701 N. Main St. in Edwardsville where Charter's subcontrators, defendants Ervin Cable construction and Mata Cable Construction, were performing cable work, the complaint says. In turn, Allison-Ash says the ground sunk in.

In addition to her sprained ankle, Allison-Ash lost earnings and her normal life, incurred medical costs and has been restricted in her usual activities, according to the complaint.

The defendants negligently failed to warn of the dangerous premises, failed to safely maintain a workspace, failed to use reasonable care and failed to prevent pedestrians from falling on the uneven construction site, the suit states.

Allison-Ash seeks a judgment of more than $150,000, plus costs and other relief the court deems just. She will be represented by Randy L. Gori, D. Todd Matthews and David W. Aubrey of Gori, Julian and Associates in Edwardsville.

Madison County Circuit Court case number 14-L-1090.