“What I know is this. My injury that day has completely uprooted my life and changed the trajectory of my life. This hurts far beyond the already intense physical pain, as my entire world is also changing now as I leave everything in Chicago, my circle of friends and my community and all the plans I had for my future. This tragedy at that building was clearly going to happen to someone. It was me,” said Wheeler.
According to her lawyers, Annie Wheeler, 22, was walking back from her usual Blue Line CTA stop and was in the crosswalk by a building located at 1227 N. Milwaukee Ave. when she was struck by concrete that fell from the building.A senior at Columbia College says she was hospitalized for two weeks and had to have brain surgery afterAccording to her lawyers, Annie Wheeler, 22, was walking back from her usual Blue Line CTA stop and was in the crosswalk by a building located at 1227 N.
An ambitious and talented fine arts student, Wheeler was just weeks away from her college graduation. She had goals to start her career as a print-maker this spring, but now says she is no longer able to finish school and will be returning to her family's home in Michigan to continue her recovery."What I know is this. My injury that day has completely uprooted my life and changed the trajectory of my life.
According to the legal team’s preliminary investigation, the Chicago Department of Buildings notified the building owner in March to erect scaffolding and make emergency repairs to the "crumbling" structure. Wheeler's attorneys say the owner appears to have taken shortcuts, which led to the injury."There is never an excuse for a shortcut to safety and it was clear the owner did not make proper or timely repairs, leading to this needless and nearly fatal injury.
"If the owner of this property had taken the proper precautions, our client would be celebrating her college graduation in a few weeks and walking across the stage to get her diploma. The owner’s selfish negligence has taken that from her and it’s not clear what her future will look like. We are proud to fight for the justice this young woman deserves," said Marasso.