Plaintiffs lose lead in water claims

Trial Notebook

By Steven P. Garmisa

Hoey & Farina

Posted October 20, 2020 11:31 AM

Trying to craft a class-action complaint against the City of Chicago for allegedly endangering residents by inadvertently releasing lead into drinking water when replacing outdated mains, meters and service lines, two homeowners asserted claims for negligence (Count 1) — contending that the need for medical monitoring satisfied the injury requirement — and inverse condemnation (Count 2) for making their property “more dangerous.” A Cook County judge tossed the case but the Appellate Court reversed, with Justice Maureen E …

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