Cueto
A Belleville school janitor and his wife have been given more time to amend a suit against several students whom they claim caused injuries to the man as he went about his job.
St. Clair County Circuit Judge Lloyd Cueto signed an order Feb. 8 allowing plaintiffs Keith Muskopf and his wife, Paula, 30 more days to change the defendants in their suit and 30 more days to amend their $800,000 complaint against several students and their parents.
Cueto had previously given the couple 21 days in January.
The Muskopfs are suing Ehhsan Hamden and Philsamrae Escaesenas and parents Rodolpho and Marites Escaesenas.
Their suit originally included 24 counts of negligence, loss of consortium and personal injury.
The plaintiffs claim that Ehhsan Hamden and Philsamrae Escaesenas slammed a door into Keith Muskopf's shoulder as he went about his job as a janitor at Belleville West High School.
The plaintiffs claim that the action injured Keith Muskopf's shoulder, causing him mental anguish and costing his wife her husband's company.
The plaintiffs and defendants agreed in previous documents in the case that Ehhsan Hamden was improperly sued as a minor.
The plaintiffs agreed to change their complaint to properly name his parents as defendants.
The judge's Feb. 8 order notes that the plaintiffs have not yet changed their complaint "for good cause." The order does not explain that term further.
A status conference is set in the suit March 30 at 9 a.m.
The case has also been pushed off the April trial calendar.
Steven Katzman of Belleville represents the Muskopfs.
Michael Murphy of Belleville represents the Hamdens.
Roger Wilson of St. Louis represents the Escaesenas family.
The case is St. Clair case number 10-L-230.