Junior high student suing for slipping on soapy water at school

East Junior Middle School in Alton is being sued by a parent who claims her son was severely injured after slipping on a large puddle of soap and water in a school bathroom last year.

Represented by Samuel Mormino of Mormino, Velloff, Edmonds, & Snider in Alton, Linda Smith is seeking damages in excess of $50,000 from the school.

According to the suit filed Oct. 25 in Madison County Circuit Court, Delondell Smith injured his right arm and elbow on Oct. 28, 2005.

"It was the duty of the defendant to maintain the premises in a reasonably safe condition," the complaint states.

Smith claims the school failed to warn students of the puddle, allowed the puddle to exist in an area where students are known to walk, failed to barricade or block a passageway, failed to clean up the puddle and placed a soap dispenser in a location so as to cause soap to dispense onto the floor.

According to Smith, Delondell suffered pain of the body and mind, incurred medical expenses and lost sums of money that he would otherwise be able to make as an able-bodied person.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Lola Maddox.

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