PRODUCTS LIABILITY

Skid steer manufacturer’s dangerous design causes terrible foot injury, amputation.

Client was repairing a skid steer with an automatic implement connection in Scott County when the hydraulic connector failed, dropping the bucket on client’s foot, and traumatically amputating over half of it. The client developed a nerve condition that created chronic, intractable pain, resulting in three surgeries that culminated in a below the knee amputation and the internal installation of a nerve stimulating device to control his pain. Jim Lindell and I brought the case in federal court and obtained a settlement. Represented by Jim Lavoie. Result – $1,015,000 settlement.

Commercial router amputates finger, lack of proper warnings demonstrated.

Client lost her thumb and most of her pointer finger on her left hand when she put a “test board” into a commercial router in a high school shop in Hennepin County. The router had no warning signs or placard to inform the user that material should only be put into the machine against the rotation of the bit. When she put it in with the rotation, her hand was instantaneously pulled into the bit. Represented by Jim Lavoie. Result – $130,000 settlement.