City of Chicago faces suit from man allegedly injured after wheelchair hit pothole

A man is suing the city, claiming he was injured when his wheelchair hit a pothole and flipped over.

Curtis Collum filed a lawsuit Oct. 27 in Cook County Circuit Court against the City of Chicago.

According to the complaint, Collum suffers from mobility impairments related to his military service in the Korean War and uses a wheelchair outside his home. He claims he left Citibank near Halsted Avenue and 35th Street on Dec. 15, 2012, when he attempted to cross the street, but his wheelchair hit a pothole concealed by a puddle of water and flipped, throwing him to the ground.

Collum says the Chicago Fire Department rendered assistance and brought him to Mercy Hospital where he received medical treatment. He alleges he sought treatment a few days later for severe swelling of his leg and fingers at Hines VA Hospital.

As a result of the incident, Collum contends he experienced pain and difficulty in conducting his daily activities for two weeks, and continues to experience periodic pain and impairment of mobility. He accuses of the city of negligently maintaining the street.

Collum is seeking more than $25,000 in damages, plus attorney fees and costs, and is represented by attorney Marian H. Neudel of Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court case number: 2014L011088.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt and it represents only one side of the story.