BELLEVILLE - An unnatural accumulation of ice in the parking lot of a store has prompted a slip and fall lawsuit.
Joseph Quirin claims he fell and injured himself while walking to the entrance of the Menards store in O'Fallon.
Quirin filed suit Nov. 26 against the company in St. Clair County Circuit Court, accusing it of negligence for failing to clear the ice or warning customers.
The company "had the duty to operate and manage, control and maintain the premises" at Cental Park Drive in a reasonably safe condition, the suit states.
Quirin claims that, while walking from his vehicle to the store entrance, he slipped and fell "due to an unnatural accumulation of ice."
The complaint states that on Jan. 19, 2018, the company "carelessly and negligently failed to adequately inspect" and maintain the parking lot, and also failed to warn the customers of the danger.
It also claims that the company "carelessly and negligently attempted to hire an outside entity to perform snow plowing and de-icing when it knew or should have known that said outside entity did not have the experience, training, education and/or knowledge to perform said duties in a proper and timely fashion."
Quirin "sustained severe and permanent injuries, both internally and externally," and has spent money, and will in the future, on medical care and services.
The plaintiff is represented by John T. Hipskind and Brady M. McAninch of Hipskind & McAninich in Belleville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 2019-L-0825.