Illinois Central named is suit by injured worker

Myron Cunningham filed suit against Illinois Central Railroad Company alleging he was injured while working for the company.

In the lawsuit filed Aug. 25 in St. Clair Circuit Court, Cunningham claims he sustained severe and permanent injuries to his muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, soft tissues, vertebrae and discs in his back, and body while lifting rail anchors in Belleville, Illinois.

At the time of the alleged incident on Aug. 2, 2007, Cunningham claims he was an employee of Illinois Central Railroad Company.

He states he has sustained pain and suffering in the past and most likely will in the future as a result of the injuries, according to the complaint.

He has permanent disfigurement and disability, has lost large amounts of money, has sustained a permanent impairment of his earning capacity and of his enjoyment of life, and has been forced to pay substantial amounts of money for medical expenses, he claims in his suit.

Cunningham claims the company was negligent because they failed to furnish him with a reasonably safe place in which to work, failed to provide him with a safe method of work, failed to provide him with an adequate workforce to complete the tasks demanded by the company, assigned him to do physical tasks beyond his capability, failed to provide him with a mechanical lifting device, failed to store equipment at a location conducive to safe lifting and allowed unsafe practices to become common.

Cunningham is seeking a judgment in excess of $50,000, plus the costs of the suit and pre-judgment interest.

He is represented by John P. Kujawski of Kujawski & Associates, P.C. in O'Fallon.