Two years ago, a West Virginia coal mine killed 29 men.  The mine will now be permanently sealed with concrete.  Meanwhile, the mother and siblings of one of those killed, Edward Dean Jones, sued former Massey Energy chief Don Blankenship, along with eight individuals they hold responsible for the worst US coal mining disaster in four decades.  The lawsuit claims deliberate infliction of emotional distress and demands compensatory and punitive damages.

The lawsuit goes after individuals instead of the company as the plaintiffs claim that they should have put workers’ lives ahead of profits.  The losses of the 29 men could have been prevented had the necessary safety precautions been taken and corners not cut.  So far, only two Massey employees have faced criminal charges.

Mr. Cooper, who trapped his ring finger in a window at work, recently recovered Euro 3,250.  The window’s locking mechanism was faulty, which caused the accident.  He sustained a fractured finger, and when he called the employer their insurers admitted liability as a result of the window’s defective mechanism.  Consequently, he hired an attorney to ensure that he received all that was owed to him as a result of his injuries.

The law firm that represented Mr. Cooper reported that this is not a unique case; thousands of people suffer work related injuries, through no fault of their own and subsequently receive compensation through the help of an attorney.

In 2010, a welder was killed due to DuPont allowing flammable vapors to go undetected.  The welder’s torch ignited the blast, killing him.  US Chemical Safety Board Chairman, Rafael Moure-Eraso said that this type of accidents “occur at an alarming rate….This is not limited to one corporation.”  However, this explosion was especially concerning because it came after three safety lapses at another DuPont plant.  One of the safety lapses even resulted in the death of a worker and another being exposed to toxic gases.

This case happened because DuPont employees who were unfamiliar with the danger cleared the welder to begin maintenance.  Clearly, DuPont has some safety issues, especially when it comes to disseminating safety information.

A plaintiff in Indianapolis recently won an $8 million verdict from a jury.  While working on the cardboard production line of a factory, the plaintiff got his hand caught in a compression roller during the initial start-up phase for new equipment.  This caused four of his fingers on his left hand to be crushed, resulting in amputation and a dozen surgeries.  His left arm now has a disability rating of 90%.

The plaintiff brought action against AJ Engineering, the firm that designed the new equipment, contending it had been designed defectively.  The jury found AJ Engineering 70% responsible, resulting in a net verdict of $5.6 million.