South Dakota Woman Sues Minnesota Lawyer for Failure to Sue

A South Dakota woman allegedly dropped out of her wheelchair by employees of the state DMV in Sioux Falls is suing her former lawyer for failing to sue the state in time.

The Argus Leader reports that 43-year-old Belinda French, of Garretson, is accusing Minnesota lawyer Rob Leighton of sitting on her case until the statute of limitations ran out, which robbed her of an opportunity for compensation for her injuries.

The lawsuit says French, who suffers from spina bifida and osteoporosis, was injured on Dec. 30, 2009, during a visit to a DMV office in the Minnehaha County Administration building.

French hired Leighton to her, but the lawyer reportedly failed to file the lawsuit within the allotted time.

Leighton declined to comment on the lawsuit.