A homeowner claims she fractured her leg after Terminix employees moved a set of concrete steps while treating the home for termites, causing her to fall.
Carolyn and Joseph Dreste filed the complaint July 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against Terminix International Inc. and The Terminix International Company Limited Partnership.
According to the complaint, Terminix was hired by the plaintiffs to treat their residence for termites. As part of the treatment program, the defendants drilled holes around the base of the home on March 18. In order to drill the holes in the garage, the defendants’ employees pulled the set of three cement stairs leading from the garage to the kitchen away from the wall.
While the stairs were pulled away from the wall, the defendants’ employees took a break or left the garage to retrieve something. During this time, Carolyn Dreste claims she opened the door from her kitchen leading to the garage to take out the garbage, pushed open a screen door and fell. She claims her light leg became wedged between the wall and the steps, causing her multiple fractures in her leg.
The plaintiffs allege the defendants had a duty to use ordinary care for the safety of others.
They claim the defendants failed to secure the area where they were working, failed to lock or barricade the door from the house to the garage, failed to warn the plaintiffs of the danger, failed to place the stairs back in place before leaving the work area and left the work area unattended.
The Drestes seek a judgment in excess of $75,000, plus court costs and all other relief the court deems just.
They are represented by Eric Evans of Evans Blasi in Granite City.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois case number 3:20-cv-720