Indiana Accident News

Severely Burned Infant Raises Premises Liability Questions With The CHA In Chicago

Chi-Town Daily reports that a new lawsuit filed against the Chicago Housing Authority highlights the poor maintenance levels of Chicago's public housings - maintenance issues that could lead to serious injury or even death for its residents.

The latest premises liability lawsuit stems from an incident that occurred four years ago, when Jasmine Watson fell onto a radiator coil and severely burned her face and giving her permanent facial scars. The coil should have been covered, but the radiator cover was broken, exposing the dangerously hot heating coil. Although the case was settled for $225,000, the issue of dangerous conditions in Chicago's public housing remains.   

Watson's grandmother, who is a tenant in the building, says that the management company, Woodlawn Community Development Corp, is informed of maintenance problems during annual unit inspections, but that many issues are not addressed. In the case of Watson's burn injury, the broken radiator cover was reported two months before but never fixed.

Watson's is one of over 180 premises liability cases to be filed against the CHA since 2000. Safety and health issues include animal infestation (such as roaches and rats) broken appliances, mold and water leaks, broken lighting, dangerous stairwells, and even sewage problems.

CHA has stood by the Woodlawn Community Development Corp., who has remained silent throughout the controversy. The company is in charge of maintaining 3,600 public housing apartments in the Chicago area. CHA claims that they monitor the company's work regularly.

"The litigation was settled in a matter that all parties believed to be fair and acceptable," says CHA spokesman Matt Aguilar. "The CHA declines to comment further."

Many of these problems stem from the larger issue of completing the Plan For Transformation, which would renovate or otherwise improve public housing projects like the one that Watson lives in. Until the plan is finalized, conditions may further deteriorate.

Read More About Severely Burned Infant Raises Premises Liability Questions With The CHA In Chicago...

back to top

WHAT'S MY CASE WORTH?

1+( )- -

Name:

Phone:

Email:

Tell us more:

Your contact information is strictly confidential. Review of your case by our legal team is free of cost. Submission does not constitute an attorney/client relationship.

No Fee Until You Win Your Case