Joliet, Illinois – Briskman Briskman & Greenberg has filed a civil lawsuit against the city of Joliet on behalf of a bicyclist who says he was injured after riding into a large hole in the roadway on the city’s near west side.

According to a complaint filed in Will County Circuit Court and reported by Patch, the plaintiff suffered serious injuries while riding his bicycle in the 1400 block of North Center Street. The lawsuit seeks a judgment of more than $50,000.

The plaintiff is represented by attorney Susan Fransen of Briskman Briskman & Greenberg. The suit names the city of Joliet as the sole defendant and alleges negligence and willful and wanton conduct in connection with the condition of the roadway.

At all relevant times, the city “owned, maintained and or controlled the roadway … and had an obligation to repair said defect, especially as it caused it and had actual or constructive notice of the same,” according to the filing. The lawsuit contends the city failed to repair the alleged defect or warn road users of the hazard.

The complaint further alleges that Joliet failed to maintain the roadway “in a safe and reasonable manner” and did not conduct adequate inspections that would have identified and addressed the hole. It characterizes the city’s “failure to repair this road where it created the defective condition or had notice of the same” as “willful and wanton conduct.”

“Roadways that cities own and control must be kept reasonably safe for the people who use them, whether they are driving, walking, or riding a bicycle,” Fransen said in a statement. “The complaint filed on behalf of my client alleges that the city knew or should have known about this dangerous condition and failed to address it.”

The case centers on whether Joliet had notice of the alleged roadway defect and whether the city’s actions or inaction meet the legal standards for municipal liability under Illinois law. No trial date has been set, and the city has not yet filed its formal response to the complaint.

CASE INFORMATION

Will County Circuit Court
Jarell D. Doss v. City of Joliet
Case No. 2026LA000051