Shorewood-Troy Public Library Sued For Cart Hazard

SHOREWOOD, IL - The public library is usually one of the safest places to visit, but Ernest Flanagan contends that his experience inside the Shorewood-Troy Public Library almost a year ago turned into his own personal nightmare. This week, Joliet personal injury attorney Adam Zayed of Zayed Law Offices filed a civil lawsuit against Shorewood-Troy Public Library, 650 Deerwood Drive, on behalf of Flanagan. The lawsuit demands a judgment against the Shorewood-Troy Public Library in excess of $50,000.

According to their complaint, a spring-loaded library cart was left out in an area of the Shorewood-Troy Public Library "that would create confusion for library patrons."

On September 22, 2016, "while distracted and or preoccupied, (Flanagan) leaned against the spring-loaded library cart and said cart collapsed," his lawsuit contends. Attorney Zayed argues the library employees "knew or had reason to suspect that library patrons would not appreciate the hazard presented by the spring-loaded library cart."

All told, Flanagan's lawyer listed eight separate allegations of carelessness and negligence committed by Shorewood-Troy library employees in the incident at hand. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Besides negligence, the public library is accused of willful and wanton misconduct. Shorewood-Troy Public Library director Jennie Mills replied in an email to Patch that the library does not comment on pending litigation and that she could not offer any further comment.

According to Zayed, "as a direct and proximate result of one or more of the aforementioned willful and wanton acts or omissions, Plaintiff Flanagan has suffered injuries of a permanent, personal and pecuniary nature."

The Will County civil lawsuit, however, does not make clear the nature of Flanagan's injuries or whether he was hospitalized. Multiple messages left with the Zayed Law Firm seeking comment went unreturned on Wednesday and Thursday.

This summer, Zayed also filed a lawsuit against the Shorewood Walmart after Yvonne Tafoya of Joliet slipped and fell inside the Walmart store on a piece of fruit back in July 2016. The Walmart lawsuit is set for a court hearing in October.

Image of Shorewood-Troy Public Library via Google Maps