BELLEVILLE — A worker at the Belleville MSP Restoration Clean-Up site is suing over claims a truck driver caused him to fall down an embankment and injure himself.
Ronald L. Jakes filed suit in St. Clair County Circuit Court against DMS Contracting Inc. following an accident on Sept. 4, 2019.
The suit, filed Nov. 6, claims the company's driver was negligent while operating a truck at the worksite.
Jakes worked as a laborer/foreman for Zoie LLC, and one of his responsibilities was to direct tractor-trailer trucks ferrying material in and out of the site.
The suit alleges that DMS, through its employment of the truck driver, had a duty of care for the safety of the plaintiff and other persons on the site. DMS did not immediately reply to a request for comment from the Record.
According to the plaintiff, the driver of the truck reversed "without first determining whether or not that movement could be done with reasonable safety."
The driver allegedly did not warn Jakes that he was going to reverse the truck, failed to sound the horn or keep a lookout to his rear. There was no alarm to warn people that the truck was reversing, the plaintiff claims.
Jakes suffered injuries to various parts of his body, and claims he will continue to be beset by the pain, disfigurement and disability in the future.
The plaintiff, who is seeking more than $50,000 in damages, had to pay out for medical expenses "in an attempt to treat his aforesaid injuries and has lost wages he otherwise would have earned."
Jakes is represented by attorney Brad L. Badgley of Belleville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 2019-L-780.