The surviving children of a 39-year-old Jasper, Alabama, man have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the man’s employer and the manufacturer of the equipment that he was using when he suffered his fatal injuries. The married father of two was reportedly using a unilube system within the service shop at the car dealership where he worked when it came in contact with a flammable material, causing a massive fire.

As for the family’s lawsuit, it was filed on Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at the Walker County Circuit Courthouse, just one month after the man’s death. The man was injured on June 12 at the Carl Cannon Car Dealership where he worked. He died at the University of Alabama hospital in Birmingham (UAB) the following day.

In addition to the man’s employer, the lawsuit also lists as co-defendants several other companies. They include: HessAire Products, Inc., Wurth USA Inc., Unilube Systems LTD. and Flynn Distributing Company Inc. Each is alleged to have been involved in either the manufacturing, designing, distributing, selling or installing the equipment the man is believed to have been using at the time the fire ignited.

As for why this man’s family believes all of these parties are responsible for his wrongful death, they argue that the equipment he was using when the fire ignited was not “reasonably safe” when used in a foreseeable way. Instead, the family argues that the equipment became particularly dangerous, especially as far as having the potential to cause serious bodily injury, even when used in an anticipated way.

In this case, the family of the man is eligible to file a workers’ compensation claim against his employer as well as an injury claim against the product’s manufacturer. The family is seeking an unspecified amount in punitive damages for the loss of their loved one. They expect the money they’re awarded to send a message to the defendants to ensure such as accident doesn’t occur again.

As a side note, the fire at the dealership involved five co-workers. Aside from the one referenced in this lawsuit, two other workers lost their lives on June 22 and July 2 at UAB as well.

If you’ve been injured or have a loved one that’s been killed while on the job, then a Huntsville, Alabama, workers’ compensation attorney can advise you of your rights to file an injury or wrongful death claim.

Source: AL.com, “Wrongful death lawsuit filed in deadly Carl Cannon flash fire,” Carol Robinson, July 12, 2017