Qualls v. Case Corporation
Facts
The plaintiff was struck by the boom of a loader/backhoe, a piece of hydraulic construction equipment. The piece of construction equipment was manufactured by the Case Corporation.
The plaintiff claimed that the equipment was defectively and negligently designed and that other people had been injured over the years because of the way the pedals on the equipment moved the boom back and forth. The plaintiff’s injuries could have been prevented had the equipment been manufactured with a fail-safe device that could have rendered the pedals disabled when not in use.
Injury
The plaintiff suffered a spinal cord injury and was rendered a triplegic, and permanently lost the ability to move both legs and one arm. Due to his injuries, he now needs round-the-clock nursing for many of the most basic day-to-day human activities.
Verdict Information
A verdict of $17.5 million was awarded.
