ANTIOCH, Ill. (May 22, 2023) – A Lake County woman who was injured in a fireplace explosion at an Antioch restaurant has received a $995,500 settlement for her injuries.
On September 16, 202, Plaintiff and her husband of Lindenhurst were dining on the outdoor patio of Anastasia’s Restaurant & Sports Lounge, 950 Hillside Avenue, Antioch, IL. Around 7:04 p.m. that evening, an outdoor fireplace on the restaurant’s patio exploded. Plaintiff, who was seated near the fireplace, suffered a laceration to her Achilles tendon that required surgical debridement. Approximately one month later, Plaintiff was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
On April 19, 2021, Plaintiff filed a lawsuit in Lake County Circuit Court against Anastasia’s through her attorneys at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, P.C., claiming the establishment failed to properly inspect, maintain, and repair the outdoor fireplace, causing an unreasonable risk of harm.
An investigation into the incident revealed the explosion likely occurred as the result of a pinhole crack in a flexible gas line connector. The fireplace was built in such a way that it was not possible to inspect any of the gas lines. Plaintiff’s attorneys alleged the restaurant should have made necessary alterations to the masonry of the fireplace to allow the required annual inspections to be performed.
“Annual inspections of all gas lines in a restaurant setting is a national safety standard across the restaurant and hospitality industry. The gas lines of the fireplace that exploded had never been inspected since it was constructed 8 years before the incident. If any kind of annual inspection had been performed, it would have revealed that the wrong kind of connection hose was used and that there were signs of deterioration requiring replacement with the correct kind of gas line.” Plaintiff’s attorney John A. Mennie said.
On May 12, 2023, the parties agreed to settle the case for $995,500.00, which includes the policy limits of Anastasia’s insurance provider. The settlement was reached just days before a trial was set to begin in Lake County Circuit Court.
“My client suffers from a severe case of post-traumatic stress disorder. We are pleased to have resolved this case without having her testify at trial, forcing her to relive the traumatic memories that disrupt her daily life. We hope this settlement will provide with her some closure and lead to a recovery from her PTSD.” Attorney Mennie said.
The Plaintiff was also represented by attorney Jaclyn J. Kurth of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard.
For more information, please contact Marcie Mangan at (312) 372-1227 or mmangan@salvilaw.com
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