Plaintiff L and a co-worker were unloading a 10,000 pound forklift from a trailer manufactured by Doe Defendant and maintained by plaintiff’s employer. Suddenly, the jack stand on the trailer failed, and the trailer crashed down onto the back of plaintiff’s right ankle. L suffered severe crush and degloving injuries, eventually requiring a below-the-knee amputation of the right leg.
L sued the designer of the trailer for alleged product liability. He also filed against his employer for negligence in using defective equipment, further asserting that the equipment had been previously damaged and improperly inspected, leading to the incident.
Following negotiations, defendants settled for a combined amount of $4,870,370.
