Carthage resident sues Newton County after suffering injury at Courthouse

 

A lawsuit filed Thursday in Newton County Circuit Court alleges a defective door at the Newton County Courthouse caused an injury to a Carthage man.

The lawsuit, which was filed by Terry L. Russell, Carthage, claims a courthouse door shut on him too quickly causing him to fall down three or four stairs and land on the concrete below.

From the petition:

On November 6, 2025, at approximately 12:30 p.m., Plaintiff Terry L. Russell was lawfully present at the Neosho Courthouse located at 101 S. Wood Street, Neosho, Missouri, as a business invitee for the purpose of conducting courthouse business.

As Plaintiff exited through the courthouse entrance door, the door quickly shut on him before he could exit the building, with significant force, causing him to lose his balance and fall down approximately 3 to 4 stairs, falling approximately 5 feet and landing on the concrete surface below.

As a direct and proximate result of the fall, Plaintiff sustained severe and permanent injuries, including multiple fractures to his pelvis, causing him excruciating pain and rendering him unable to stand or bear weight.

The door mechanism at the Neosho Courthouse entrance was in a dangerous, hazardous, and defective condition at the time of Plaintiff's injuries.

Defendant Newton County had actual knowledge of the dangerous condition of the courthouse entrance door, as evidenced by the statement of Newton County Auditor Matthew Major, who was present at the time of the incident and informed Plaintiff's wife that "the doors do that all the time" and "have always been bad."

Count one of the lawsuit accuses Newton County officials of negligence for "failing to maintain the entrance door in safe working condition," "failing to repair the known dangerous door mechanism," "failing to provide adequate warnings about the dangerous condition of the door," and "failing to protect business invitees from a known hazard..

The petition indicates Russell suffered multiple pelvic fractures, a left shoulder injury and a right elbow abrasion and was hospitalized from November 6-11 before being discharged to a skilled nursing facility.

Russell, who is represented by Joplin attorney Edward Hershewe, is asking for damages, punitive damages and for a jury trial.