BELLEVILLE — A truck driver claims he was injured when unsecured pallets fell and him in the head.
James Ellis filed a complaint Oct. 8 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against Walgreen Co., Northwest Pallet Services LLC, Prime Woodcraft LLC, Prime Woodcraft Incorporated, Mertens Associates Incorporated, and Legacy Pharmaceutical Packaging LLC, alleging negligence.
According to the complaint, Ellis was employed as a driver for Ongweoweh SCS-St. Louis, which had an agreement with the defendants to haul pallets. Ellis claims that the defendants loaded a trailer with pallets for transport on Dec. 3, 2018, which he picked up at the Ongweoweh facility. He alleges that prior to backing the trailer into the dock, he opened the trailer door and a stack of pallets, "without warning," fell off the trailer and hit him in the head and body. Ellis claims he suffered injuries to his head, neck, arm, back, nerves, soft tissues and tendons.
He also claims he has "expended large sums of money" on medical treatment due to his injuries as well as lost earnings. Ellis alleges the defendants were negligent by failing to have the pallets properly secured, failing to inspect the pallets and failing to warn about the unsecured pallets.
Ellis seeks monetary relief of more than $50,000, trial by jury and all other just relief. He is represented by Matthew Chapman of Becker, Schroader & Chapman PC in Granite City.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 20-L-0787