A woman has filed suit against her neighbor, saying her home was damaged when his caught on fire.
Janet Woods filed suit July 28 in the Jefferson County District Court against Freddy Artola.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff's home at 1610 Lakecrest Drive in Port Arthur sustained substantial damages May 17, 2013, when a fire erupted at defendant Artola's house at 1600 Lakecrest Drive in Port Arthur. The fire began in the back room of the man's house where he was storing a vehicle with eight car batteries, according to the complaint.
According to the fire department, one of the batteries sparked and ignited the fire, the suit states. Due to the fire, the vinyl siding, roof and windows at Woods's home were damaged, the complaint says. Her home's market value decreased, she incurred repair costs and she temporarily lost the use of her home, she claims.
Woods blames Artola for causing the fire saying he negligently failed to prevent injury to others, failed to avoid a foreseeable risk of injury, failed to control or avoid increasing danger, failed to use ordinary care and failed to aid others.
Woods is seeking actual, special and exemplary damages, plus attorney's fees, costs, pre- and post-judgment interest and other relief the court deems just.
She will be represented by defendant Justin G. Sanderson of Sanderson Law Firm in Beaumont.
Jefferson County District Court case number A195-916
This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the Jefferson County District 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.