Homeowners, Spearfish Settle Lawsuit over Sewer Backups

SPEARFISH, S.D. (AP) — Spearfish residents who sued the city over sewer backups have settled out of court for an undisclosed amount of money.

Members of eight households in late 2013 filed a lawsuit that was scheduled to go to trial this month. Homeowner Pete Davis tells The Black Hills Pioneer that plaintiffs decided to take the city's offer rather than continue the legal battle.

The plaintiffs maintained that the city was negligent because it hadn't maintained adequate sewer lines, leading to backups that caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage to some homes.

The city argued it wasn't necessarily liable for damages caused by an infrastructure problem. City Attorney Tom Brady says that even though the lawsuit is resolved, there's no determination of fault on the part of the city.

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