Bricklayer sues over collapsed scaffolding

While working as a bricklayer and building an addition to the Lewis and Clark College in Madison County, a man claims the scaffolding beneath him collapsed.

Robert Rill Jr. filed a lawsuit May 26 in Madison County District Court against Ellinger Winfield.

Rill claims he was performing the work for general contractor Ellinger Winfield on Sept. 13, 2007, when the incident occurred, causing him to sustain severe and permanently disabling injuries to his shoulders and body as a whole. In addition, he had to endure numerous surgeries, lost large sums of money because of his inability to pursue his normal occupation and incurred substantial medical costs, according to his complaint.

Rill blames Ellinger Winfield for causing the collapse, saying it failed to provide him with a safe place to work, failed to inspect the scaffold, allowed Rill to work on a scaffold inadequately constructed and failed to adequately train its project superintendent.

Rill seeks a judgment of more than $50,000, plus costs.

Bruce R. Cook of Cook, Ysursa, Bartholomew, Brauer and Shevlin in Belleville will be representing him.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-561.