Shorewood Portillo's Sued After Customer's Chair Collapses

JOLIET, IL - Many people love Portillo's Hot Dogs, but one customer at the Shorewood restaurant on Route 59 has a serious beef with the popular restaurant franchise. Last week, plaintiff Amanda Alaimo filed a civil lawsuit at the Will County Courthouse against Portillo's Hot Dogs, LLC. She's being represented by the Joliet law firm of McNamara Phelan McSteen on McDonough Street.

According to the lawsuit, "Amanda Alaimo prays for judgment against the defendant, Portillo's Hot Dogs, LLC, in an amount in excess of $15,000 but less than $50,000 plus (the) costs of the suit," wrote attorney Thomas P. Polacek.

The lawsuit contends that back on April 12, Alaimo "while rising from Defendant's chair, was caused to then and there fall upon the ground below her after the rear leg of the chair broke ... Amanda Alaimo suffered diverse injuries, both internally and externally, of a permanent and lasting nature, which have caused and will continue to cause pain in body and mind; that the Plaintiff was caused to spend and in the future will be compelled to expend, large sums of money in endeavoring to be cured of said injuries," wrote her lawyer Polacek.

The Shorewood Portillo's at 1155 Brook Forest Avenue is accused of five acts of negligence and carelessness as a result of the April 12 episode involving Alaimo, who is a resident of Will County, her lawsuit states.

Here are a couple of allegations outlined in her case against Portillo's:

• "Carelessly and negligently failed to warn patrons, including the Plaintiff, that the furniture located within the premises was unsafe and hazardous."

• "Carelessly and negligently failed to remedy the unsafe and hazardous condition for an unreasonably long period of time."

• "Carelessly and negligently assembled, utilized and/or maintained furniture on its premises, namely a chair located within the dining area inside its Portillo's Shorewood store, creating a condition that the Defendant knew or should have known was hazardous."

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