Woman claims hospital negligent for her trip over step

Memorial Hospital of Belleville is being sued by a woman who tripped over a step that had a riser greater than the remaining steps of an entrance to the hospital.

Joy Freeland of Belleville is seeking in excess of $50,000 for injuries she sustained on Feb. 7, 2006, as a result of the hospital's alleged negligence.

"Plaintiff sustained injury to her knee, including a fracture of the patella, and futher requiring plaintiff to undergo medical treatment, including surgery, for the treatment of the injury sustained as a result of the fall," states the complaint filed June 11 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

Freeland is represented by William L. Berry of Dunham, Boman & Leskera of Belleville.

She claims that on the day of the accident she was en route to an appointment with a physician, whose offices were located at the hospital.

Freeland claims the hospital failed to post proper warnings of the "necessity of a step that was the riser higher than that mandated by the applicable building codes."