O'Fallon mobile home park sued over resident's trip in high grass

A woman has filed suit against the owners of a mobile home park where she claims she tripped in a hole.

Melisa Smith of 67 Rock Springs Estate in O'Fallon claims she was walking through defendant Rock Springs, a manufactured home community managed by defendant Victoria Cook, on Oct. 27, 2008, at about 3:19 p.m. when she fell in the hole, which was surrounded by high grass.

Because of her fall, Smith sustained severe, permanent and progressive injuries to her right knee and back; suffered disability; lost her normal life; and incurred medical costs, according to the complaint filed Sept. 2 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

She blames Cook and Rock Springs for failing to fill in the hole, for allowing a hole, for failing to put a barrier around the hole to prevent people from falling in it and for failing to warn of the hole.

In her complaint, Smith is seeking a judgment of more than $50,000, plus costs.

William J. Knapp and Del A. Goldenhersh of Knapp, Ohl and Green in Edwardsville will be representing her.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 10-L-452.