Judge dismisses suit against city of Beaumont, plaintiff a no show for hearing

In March, the Southeast Texas Record reported on a woman who sued the city of Beaumont, alleging she sustained multiple fractures after falling from training equipment.

Shielded by governmental immunity and arguing there was no evidence to support the cause, the city filed a motion for summary judgment in response.

On Wednesday, Sept. 30, a hearing to dismiss was held in Judge Milton Shuffield's 136th District Court.

However, Letonjia Grant, the plaintiff, didn't bother to show up and the judge promptly dismissed the suit.

In her suit, Grant had claimed that she was undergoing a trainee activity when she fell from a defective training device on May 17, 2008.

The suit does not specify what type of training the plaintiff was involved in or the device she alleges caused the injury.

Because of the fall, Grant says she sustained a fractured back, right heel, left ankle and left wrist, incurred medical expenses and suffered severe physical impairment and loss of earning capacity, according to her suit, filed March 20 in Jefferson County District Court.

She was suing for the mental anguish, physical pain, suffering and disfigurement she claims to have suffered.

The suit goes on to allege Beaumont was negligent by misusing the training device, by failing to maintain its premises in a reasonably safe condition, by failing to inspect its premises for hazardous conditions, by failing to warn Grant of the hazardous condition of the area in which she was working and in failing to remove the hazardous condition.

The city was represented by attorney Quentin Price.

Grant was represented by James E. Payne and Jennifer Seale of Provost and Umphrey Law Firm in Beaumont.

Case No. D183-591