Family of Construction Worker Killed by Dump Truck Wins $8.5M in Wrongful Death Settlement

The family of a construction worker who died after being struck by a dump truck in downtown St. Paul, MN will be awarded $8.5 million for their wrongful death lawsuit settlement. The 61-year-old construction worker was killed at a construction site in September of 2022. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the widow of the victim against the dump truck driver and Ti-Zack Concrete, Inc.

According to attorneys who are representing the widow, the dump truck driver tested “presumptive positive” for cocaine and THC after the crash. In addition, they added that the defendant destroyed evidence, violated federal drug testing protocols, and failed to adequately train the driver, and more.

Part of the settlement included money for the agony suffered by the victim from the first moment he was struck by the dump truck to the time he lost consciousness and died. The award results from a new law in Minnesota granting relief for the pain and suffering that the individual suffers before death in a wrongful death case.

The widow said her husband was a decades-long civil servant, who worked 40-plus years in the Saint Paul Regional Water Services Department. In addition, she said he gave much of his free time back to the community.

The widow said the most concerning part of it all was the alleged lack of safety training and precautions taken at the site where her husband was killed. She also said the defendant did accept a request to hire a safety director and implement new-hire safety training for drivers.

“There is no amount of money that will bring my husband back, but he still has colleagues and friends who work in the field with the contractors. I needed to do what I could to help protect them in the future so that this traumatic event does not happen to anyone else,” she said.

“We think if the rules were followed, Peter would be alive today,” added lead attorney for the family, Jeffrey Sieben. “So that’s the main message, is there are good rules, but take them seriously. And people deserve to come home.”

Elements of negligence 

In this case, the driver seemed unaware there was a person in his path. This is likely directly related to the fact that he tested positive for drugs in his system. Truck drivers are held to a higher standard of care when it comes to both alcohol and drug content in their system. This is because they operate very large and dangerous vehicles that place other commuters on the roads in danger.

Talk to a Tulsa OK truck accident attorney today 

Levinson Law, PC represents the interests of individuals who have been injured by commercial truck drivers. Call our Tulsa personal injury lawyers today to schedule an appointment and we can begin discussing your case right away.

Source:

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