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2 Investigators: Woman's Driveway Crumbles After Construction Work Next Door

(CBS) -- Construction of one home causes destruction at a neighboring home. The damage inflicted months ago has yet to be fixed.

CBS 2-Investigator Dave Savini spoke with former school teacher, Therese Seller, who is taking the owner, builder and her village to task.

"This is dangerous," said Therese Sellers. "Very dangerous."

The 87-year-old Sellers is in a fight to save her crumbling property.

"I've done nothing to deserve this," said Sellers.

She and her daughter, Martha Messina, say in August, an excavation crew was digging next door where a new house is being built. They say the work caused the collapse of part of Sellers driveway and retaining wall.

As a result, she has about four feet of driveway to get her car through and that is not possible. Sellers also worries the ground might not be stable.

"It's frustrating," said Sellers.

She says she has been left with an eyesore, including dangerous debris, and says the landowner and builder have failed to fix the problem.

Sellers says the builder put up a wobbly, unstable fence on her property without permission. In some spots, plastic appears to be holding up the fence. She says she also is angry at La Grange officials.

"I deserve to be protected by the village," said Sellers.

Her daughter says she called village officials for help, but no one came out to help before the land collapse or afterwards either.

"You would expect that the village would be there to protect you; obviously that's not their main concern," said Martha Messina.

So five months later, Sellers now faces a winter without her garage. She says the whole situation is taking a toll on her.

"It's made me very anxious and fearful and angry that this injustice has occurred."

She wonders whether the lack of help by the village is because the land owner has been a trustee and board member with the La Grange police and fire pension boards.

"They can't imagine my hurt," said an emotional Sellers.

A LaGrange official says there has been no political influence here. They are working to get repairs made, likely in the spring, and are working to get Sellers reimbursed by the property owner and builder for expenses including the lawyer she hired.

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