With all the construction going on in Chicago, it isn’t uncommon to see temporary fencing up in various places around the city. For pedestrians, those temporary fencing solutions around the construction zones can cause serious hazards. A recent lawsuit filed in the Cook County Circuit Court claims that a pedestrian was struck by a fence and a gate while he was walking.
The lawsuit alleges that the complainant was walking next to 7200 S. Stoney Island Avenue, the defendants’ property, on Sept. 12 of last year when the wind knocked over a gate and fence. The man alleges that he was struck by them. He says the defendants didn’t reasonably inspect the gate and fence, didn’t warn of the dangerous conditions, didn’t properly maintain the fence and gate and carelessly maintained the gate and fence.
National Construction Rentals Inc. and Maverick Companies Inc. are the two defendants in this lawsuit. They are being sued for more than $50,000 in damages related to this accident. The complainant is also seeking costs from the defendants.
Keeping fences and gates in good repair is necessary for anyone who uses them. Companies who use temporary fencing must be especially careful when they set up the fencing. Wind and other weather conditions must be considered, especially in Chicago.
Anyone who has been hurt by improperly maintained fencing can file a premises liability claim for damages just like this man did. Knowing what claims to make against the defendants can make the lawsuit process a little bit easier to move through.
Source: The Cook County Record, “Man claims he was hit by fence, gate after wind blew them over” Matt Russell, Jul. 31, 2014