Suit: Unmarked divider on Ruby Tuesday's floor caused woman's fall

The executors of a woman's estate are suing the owners of a chain restaurant in Effingham, where the woman fell over an allegedly unmarked and unnecessary divider on the floor.

John E. Taylor and Joedy E. Hightower, as executors of the Estate of Charlene Hightower, filed a premises liability suit Nov. 21 in Cook County Circuit Court against RT Midwest Holdings, doing business as RT Northern Illinois Franchise, doing business as Ruby Tuesday and Ruby Tuesday Inc.

According to the complaint, Charlene Hightower was at the Ruby Tuesday restaurant at 1300 Avenue of Mid-America in Effingham on Mar. 29, 2013, when she tripped over a divider on the floor that allegedly was dangerously high, loose and unnecessary.

The plaintiffs contend the defendants had already been made aware of the fall hazard prior to Charlene Hightowner's fall, which they allege required her to undergo extensive and expensive medical treatments to recover from her injuries before her eventual death.

They seek damages in excess of $50,000, plus court costs, are are represented by attorney Toby P. Mulholland of Rubens and Kress in Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court case number: 2014-L-012266.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at Cook County Circuit Court. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note that 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.