Madison County Circuit Judge William Mudge rescheduled a case management conference after the parties began “meaningful negotiation” in a woman’s suit alleging she slipped and fell while taking a shower at Holiday Inn Express.
The case management conference is set for Jan. 31 at 9 a.m.
Mary Christen filed the complaint on March 27 against Pekin Investments LLC and Holiday Inn Express Pekin.
According to the complaint, Christen alleges she requested a handicapped hotel room at the Holiday Inn Express in Pekin. However, she claims she did not receive a proper room and slipped and fell while taking a shower on Aug. 15, 2015.
She claims she suffered head and body injuries resulting in headaches, pain and suffering, loss of a normal life and medical expenses.
Christen alleges the defendants failed to provide a shower room with a handrail, slip-resistant mat and portable bathtub seat.
She seeks damages of more than $50,000, plus court costs.
The defendants previously answered the complaint on Aug. 18 through attorneys Donato Latrofa, Jeffrey Naffziger and Jack Hsu of Christensen& Ehret LLP in Chicago, denying liability.
They argue that the plaintiff owed a duty of care to herself to act in a reasonably prudent manner and provide for her own safety.
They also allege Christen failed to keep a proper lookout, failed to exercise proper caution to avoid potential hazards, failed to observe open and obvious hazards, knew or should have known of the conditions in the shower tub and bathroom that were present at the time of the incident and was inattentive.
Christen is represented by Michael P. Glisson and Timothy J. Chartrand of Williamson, Webster, Falb & Glisson in Alton.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 17-L-417