A Collinsville man is suing a rental property owner, alleging negligence for injuries he says suffered when he tripped over a hazard on the property.
Marc Dowdy filed a lawsuit Sept. 28 in Madison County Circuit Court against Stephen Tassallo.
According to the complaint, on Aug. 28, 2014, the parties entered a rental agreement for a property at 517 LaRule St. in Collinsville. At the time, the suit says, an open hole existed in the back yard with a PVC pipe protruding from it, constituting a safety hazard.
The suit says Tassallo was made aware of the hazard by both Dowdy and a workman who saw it while in the back yard, but the defendant failed to fix the hole.
On Sept. 4, the plaintiff allegedly tripped and fell on the PVC pipe while carrying one end of a couch and incurred injuries, including detachment of the retina of his left eye and fracture of his left hand.
The suit says the plaintiff has sustained medical expenses for those injuries, physical pain and mental suffering, lost wages in the past and future and diminution of his life, including the loss of vision in his left eye.
Dowdy seeks judgment of at least $50,000 plus court costs and attorney fees. He is represented by attorney John H. Leskara of the Leskara Law Firm in Collinsville.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 15-L-1243