Housing Authority and water company blamed for woman's fall in water meter hole

A woman who injured her right leg at the Roosevelt Homes Housing Complex in East St. Louis filed a personal injury suit against the East St. Louis Housing Authority and Illinois American Water Company in St. Clair County Circuit Court Aug. 23.

Tarji Lavington claims that on Sept. 8, 2005, she stepped into an uncovered water meter hole near the 48th building of the housing complex.

Lavington claims the hole has been uncovered "for a long time" prior to her accident and it created a condition that was not reasonably safe.

She claims the housing authority permitted an uncovered or insecurely covered water meter hole to exist, failed to provide a fastened secure water meter cover, failed to repair or replace the dangerous condition and failed to warn the public of the existence of the uncovered water meter hole.

Lavington claims the water company failed to maintain their water meter in a reasonably safe condition.

According to Lavington, the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones of her leg were injured causing her to suffer pain in the body and mind, medical expenses, the loss of time from her usual gainful employment thereby losing large sums of money.

"Plaintiff has been, and in the future will be, prevented from attending to her usual affairs and duties," the complaint alleges.

Represented by Troy Walton of The Rex Carr Law Firm in East St. Louis, Lavington is seeking damages in excess of $200,000 plus any other relief the court deems just and proper.

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