Gaunt & Haynes, Inc. v. Moritz Corp.

This appeal is from a judgment entered against defendant in the amount of $185,000 following a jury trial in an action for damages in the circuit court of Effingham County.

Plaintiff, Gaunt & Haynes, Inc., owned and operated a grocery store in Effingham. Defendant, Moritz Corporation, was the contractor under contract with the State of Illinois to widen the street on which plaintiff’s store was located. As a result of the street construction by defendant, access to plaintiff’s store was interrupted; however, the degree of the impairment of access was disputed. Plaintiff’s business suffered a…