Attorney with Briskman Briskman & Greenberg Remarks on Settlement Reached in Wrongful Death Suit
Feb 21, 2014
Chicago, IL (Law Firm Newswire) February 21, 2014 – Under the terms of a settlement agreement in a wrongful death lawsuit, Commonwealth Edison will pay $3.2 million to the family of a man who was electrocuted while working on a bridge painting project in suburban Elgin, Illinois in 2008.
Javier Valadez was preparing to sandblast the U.S. 20 Bridge over the Fox River in an aerial lift bucket when he came into contact with overhead distribution lines and was electrocuted. Ionnis Maroulis, another worker, was also killed.
“In such horrible circumstances, a wrongful death lawsuit can bring a family compensation and some measure of closure for a tragedy that never should have occurred,” said Robert Briskman, a wrongful death attorney not involved with the case.
The lawsuit was filed in Cook County by Valadez’s wife, alleging that ComEd was negligent in failing to de-energize or de-sleeve the power lines. Eagle Paint, Valadez’s employer, and Hertz Equipment Rental Co., the lessor of the lift, were also named in the suit.
According to news reports, Valadez had only been employed by the painting company for one week. The lawsuit claimed that the lines were out in the open and that the crew were only given a last-minute warning to avoid them.
According to the lawsuit, Eagle Paint made repeated requests to ComEd for the power lines to be made safe in preparation for the painting job, but received conflicting information from customer service representatives — including a report that ComEd did not know where the lines were and another that Eagle Paint’s request had been “fulfilled.” According to attorneys for the Valadez family, depositions of customer service representatives for ComEd revealed a lack of knowledge about the requirements for how to process a “make safe” request.
In 2008, an attorney for ComEd said that Eagle Paint called the utility to request a power deactivation, but the request was made less than 14 days before the shutoff was needed. He claimed that ComEd requires that requests be made 14 days in advance.
In addition to the $3.2 million to be paid by ComEd under the settlement, Hertz will pay $25,000. Eagle Paint agreed to waive its lien in lieu of $243,000 and payment of worker’s compensation benefits through the end of the year.
Learn more at http://www.briskmanandbriskman.com/practice-areas/workers-compensation/
Briskman Briskman & Greenberg
351 West Hubbard Street, Ste 810
Chicago, IL 60654
Phone: 312.222.0010
Facebook: Like Us!
Google Places: Contact a Chicago personal injury lawyer from Briskman Briskman & Greenberg on Google Places!
- Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Over Police-Involved Shooting
A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the city of Chicago over the death of a man shot by an off-duty Chicago Police officer. The shooting took place at a Chicago Housing Authority building on the Near West Side in September 2013. Jarrod Horton filed the lawsuit in Chicago’s U.S. District Court, claiming that […] - ConAgra Fights Largest Punitive Claim in Illinois History
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has heard arguments over a $180 million jury verdict in a personal injury case, the largest punitive claim in Illinois history. The defendant companies urged the court to overturn a district court’s judgment or lower the damages award in the grain elevator explosion case. The case stems from an […] - Johnson & Johnson Must Pay Over $10 Million in Birth Injury Case
The parents of a boy who suffered birth injuries after being exposed to anti-seizure medication have been awarded more than $10 million by a Philadelphia jury, which decided against Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. The five-year-old boy suffered from cleft lip and other birth injuries after being exposed to Topamax while his […] - Two Illinois Workers Injured in Combustible Dust Explosion
An Illinois metal products company was cited for safety violations after two workers were injured in a combustible dust explosion at a Glendale Heights Facility. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued the citations to Northstar Metal Products for 11 violations of health and safety regulations following the April 1 incident. One of the workers […] - Government Pushes for Better Car Safety Systems
The federal government is pushing for automobile safety systems that are expected to aid in the prevention of car accidents. The systems include seat belt interlocks, collision avoidance systems and alcohol detection devices. Collision avoidance systems — which warn drivers when they are about to strike another vehicle and can automatically apply the brakes — […]
