Google Screened
$400,000 Settlement for Temporary Employee in Centralized Vacuum System Accident
Foor v. Defendant
Case Summary:
Our client was assigned to work for a dog food plant by a temporary employment agency one week before the accident. He was assigned to be a laborer with the task of sweeping and vacuuming up corn and dog food particles located inside the production equipment in the facility. On the date of the accident, our client noticed that the vacuum hose he was using did not have proper suction. Our client turned off the machine and reached into the discharge end of the vacuum system, which was a rotary airlock device, in order to dislodge debris from the vacuum. The rotary airlock, however, was still under power and had not come to a complete stop. Our client’s thumb and forefinger were struck by the impeller vanes inside the rotary airlock, causing a traumatic amputation of half of our client’s thumb and index finger.
The discharge end of the rotary airlock of the centralized vacuum system, designed by defendant, was defective as designed because it did not contain a guard to prevent the impeller vanes from coming into contact with our client’s hand when he was attempting to clean a clog in the vacuum hose. Additionally, the vacuum was not installed in accordance with the instructions included in the manual, which provided for installation of the rotary airlock in a manner which would have prevented access to the interior of the airlock.
Our client suffered partial amputation of his thumb and index fingers of his left hand as a result of the accident.
Outcome:
This case settled before trial for $400,000. The case was handled by Philadelphia products liability attorney Richard M. Jurewicz, of Galfand Berger. For more information on this case, please contact Mr. Jurewicz at [email protected] or call our law offices at 1-800-222-USWA (8792).