The wife of a former Boeing employee who fell to his death recently received a massive payout of $8.8 million after a jury found the airplane manufacturing company legally responsible for his death.
David Priester Jr. worked for the company for a few years before his tragic fall in March 2013. The lawsuit, filed on his behalf by widow Lisa Priester, listed SAR Automation as a defendant, alleging that its design led to the death of her husband. Lisa and her legal team detailed how the sliders that Priester had been working on malfunctioned due to SAR Automation's reformed computer system under the nose of Boeing. The company's modification to the computer system had created a gap in the mobile platform, which was a hazard for employees during the airplane manufacturing process. While David Priester Jr. was working, he fell 18 feet from the mobile platform that he was standing on.
After being rushed to the hospital, medical professionals declared that he had sustained a severe traumatic brain injury and that he didn't have a strong likelihood of surviving it. Eleven days after the fall, he passed away. He was only 38 years old.
The lawsuit also argued that during SAR Automation's unauthorized installation, the company failed to install software that could warn employees of danger, such as horns, emergency lighting, and other safety features. Linda Priester claims that had these mechanisms been installed, they could have saved her husband's life. As such, SAR Automation acted negligently by not providing these features.
“It's been over four years since David's tragic death,” Linda Priester said in a statement. “This verdict sends a message to employers that men and women deserve to work in a safe environment. My hope is that this tragedy will result in better worker protection at Boeing and other manufacturers in South Carolina. On behalf of David's family, I am so grateful that the jury vindicated David.”
Experienced North Carolina Personal Injury Defense Attorneys
Coping with the death of a family member or loved one is hard enough. Having to wrestle with the fact that this passing could have been prevented if another party would have fulfilled its duty undoubtedly makes coping in the aftermath of a death even harder. If you believe that the death of your loved one was caused by the negligence or recklessness of another individual, company or entity, you have the constitutional right to seek a legal remedy. Although monetary compensation may not bring your family member back, it can provide some consolation and closure for you and other loved ones who are grieving. Let us handle the legal obligations for you. Contact Caulder & Valentine today for a free consultation.
