Vegas
04-18-2007, 07:06 PM
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/3C02903ED93AD5E3862572C1001CE48D?OpenDocument
ST. LOUIS — The mother of a boy who was shocked and fell 35 feet after climbing an Illinois electric tower on a $5 bet is suing the utility for allegedly failing to properly warn of the tower's dangers and keeping children from it.
Anna Thebeau filed the suit Thursday in Madison County, accusing Ameren Corp. and its Illinois subsidiaries of "failing to exercise the highest degree of care" in safeguarding youngsters. Her son Justin Porter was 13 when he was hit two years ago by a 19,700-volt power line.
Justin survived. But the lawsuit says the Granite City boy suffered "serious personal injuries," including disfiguring second- and third-degree burns over 34 percent of his body, a fractured pelvis and tailbone, lacerated spleen and a bruised heart.
The lawsuit claims, without elaborating, that another child was "electrocuted" at the same tower near Mitchell — published reports say that happened three decades ago — and that Ameren "took no action in response" to keep children from frequently scaling the tower.
The suit seeks at least $100,000 in damages and compensation for $239,754 in medical expenses and $3,420 his mother claims she lost in wages taking her son to treatment.
Steve Evans, Thebeau's attorney, said he would not discuss the matter until Ameren had a chance to review the lawsuit, which was delivered to the company Tuesday.
Leigh Morris, an Ameren spokesman in Illinois, declined to comment, saying the company does not publicly discuss pending litigation.
ST. LOUIS — The mother of a boy who was shocked and fell 35 feet after climbing an Illinois electric tower on a $5 bet is suing the utility for allegedly failing to properly warn of the tower's dangers and keeping children from it.
Anna Thebeau filed the suit Thursday in Madison County, accusing Ameren Corp. and its Illinois subsidiaries of "failing to exercise the highest degree of care" in safeguarding youngsters. Her son Justin Porter was 13 when he was hit two years ago by a 19,700-volt power line.
Justin survived. But the lawsuit says the Granite City boy suffered "serious personal injuries," including disfiguring second- and third-degree burns over 34 percent of his body, a fractured pelvis and tailbone, lacerated spleen and a bruised heart.
The lawsuit claims, without elaborating, that another child was "electrocuted" at the same tower near Mitchell — published reports say that happened three decades ago — and that Ameren "took no action in response" to keep children from frequently scaling the tower.
The suit seeks at least $100,000 in damages and compensation for $239,754 in medical expenses and $3,420 his mother claims she lost in wages taking her son to treatment.
Steve Evans, Thebeau's attorney, said he would not discuss the matter until Ameren had a chance to review the lawsuit, which was delivered to the company Tuesday.
Leigh Morris, an Ameren spokesman in Illinois, declined to comment, saying the company does not publicly discuss pending litigation.