CHARLESTON – A Charleston woman is suing the City of Charleston Sanitary Board after she claims it is responsible for her loss of property value.
The City of Charleston, West Virginia-American Water Company, Burges & Niple Inc. and Pipe Plus Inc. were also named as defendants in the suit.
Amanda O'Dell purchased property in August and discovered that the hillside south of the retaining wall showed signs of instability or sliding as the result of unstable earth conditions, according to a complaint filed in Kanawha Circuit Court.
O'Dell claims cracks started forming in her driveway, retaining wall and the earth parallel to the sewer line.
The Sanitary Board determined that the newly installed buried sewer line running parallel south of the retaining wall was breached or broken due to landslide activity and required installation of an above-ground sewer line, according to the suit.
O'Dell claims as a result of the sliding and unstable condition of the property, she and her children have been required to vacate the home and it is no longer habitable.
The water company's water line broke or ruptured while engaged in the sewer project and contributed to the slope instability, according to the suit.
O'Dell claims she suffered damages, including loss of total value of her property; costs for repairs of the property structure wall, driveway and other areas; and annoyance and inconvenience and emotional distress for the anxiety caused by the defendants' conduct or actions.
O'Dell is seeking compensatory damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. She is being represented by Guy R. Bucci and J. Ryan Stewart of Bucci, Bailey & Javins LC.
The case is assigned to Circuit Judge Carrie Webster.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 15-C-1040