Joplin man sues Post Office for $375,000 after falling on slick floor

A Joplin man who says he was injured in a fall at the U. S. Post Office at 101 N. Main is suing the government for $375,000.

According to the lawsuit, which was filed today in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Robert Counts claims the fall took place December 5, 2014.

"It was raining that day and after entering the Post Office, Mr. Counts slipped on the slick and wet floor, causing him to fall down and sustain significant and permanent injuries to his body."

The petition says the Post Office's floor presented "an unsafe and dangerous situation" and postal workers should have removed the water or set up barricades to keep people away.

Counts' injuries, according to the petition, included a rotator cuff injury in his right shoulder that required surgery, an injury to his right wrist that required steroid injections and a brace, an injury to his right hip, and other injuries.

Counts says he has had more than $57,000 in medical expenses and has suffered "lost wages, lost income, and lost business opportunity. Specifically, at the time of the injury, Counts worked as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army and missed three weeks of work. He was also set to start employment at the Price Cutter store in Webb City, but could not take the job due to his injuries."

Counts is represented by Kevin J. Rapp, Springfield.