Politics & Government
Farmers Insurance Drops Lawsuit Against Will County, Area Towns
Suit named Will County, Joliet, Naperville, Bolingbrook, Plainfield, New Lenox, Shorewood, Manhattan, University Park, Homer Glen, Frankfort, Channahon and Lockport.
Illinois Farmers Insurance has dropped a class action lawsuit filed in April against Will County and 12 area communities.
The suit claimed the municipalities failed to make adequate preparations for heavy rain that caused flooding throughout Will County in April 2013 and "failed to safely operate retention basins, detention basins, tributary enclosed sewers and tributary open sewers/drains for the purpose of safely conveying stormwater," resulting in "sewer water invasions ... so rapid that geysers of water shot out from floor drains, toilets showers and other basement floor openings."
The suit claimed climate change was behind the heavy rain and said the county and towns should have been aware of its effects.
The insurance company filed to dismiss the suit on June 9.
In addition to Will County, Joliet, Naperville, Bolingbrook, Plainfield, New Lenox, Shorewood, Manhattan, University Park, Homer Glen, Frankfort, Channahon and Lockport were named as defendants in the lawsuit.
In an interview with WJOL, Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar said Farmers "should be ashamed of themselves" and called the lawsuit a waste of time.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
