Alton Belle Casino
In the less-reported realm of Madison County's "LM" Civil Division--where the injured seek less than $50,000 in damages--it took a jury 90 minutes to clear Argosy Gaming Company of wrongdoing in a personal injury case filed by a Bethalto woman. She claimed permanent injuries from slipping on a “foreign substance” in the buffet line at the Alton Belle Casino in February 2002.
The trial began Tuesday and ended Wednesday. Lorene Saylors was seeking a $15,000 judgment from Argosy.
Saylors alleged that Argosy failed to properly maintain the premises by allowing liquid to accumulate on the floor and did not warn her of the dangerous conditions.
Saylors was represented by Lon Weaver of East Alton.
She claims the fall caused her to suffer permanent injures, medical expenses, and also claims she lost wages due to the fall.
After Weaver presented his case to the jury, Troy Bozarth of Burroughs, Hepler, Broom, MacDonald, Hebrank & True of Edwardsville, who represented Argosy, filed a motion for a directed verdict. Bozarth claimed Saylors failed to make a case of negligence against his client.
Associate Judge Barbara Crowder disagreed denying his motion.
05 LM 1177