The perils of faulty equipment, mental anguish and a deprived wife prompted an injured Illinois trucker to file a $400,000 suit April 25 in Madison County Circuit Court against his employer and big rig manufacturers.
Timothy Rosenburg, who works for Cassens Transport Company in Edwardsville, claims he was injured during the operation of a chain ratchet tie down system. Cottrell Inc., DaimlerChrysler, General Motors and Toyota also are named in the eight-count lawsuit.
Charles Armbruster of the Lakin Law Firm in Wood River and Brian Wendler of Collinsville will represent Rosenburg and his wife, Debbie. She claims she lost the services of her husband because of the rig's failed ratchet system.
Rosenburg alleges that Gainesville, Ga.-based Cottrell Inc., which is believed to be the manufuacturer of the rig, knew or should have known the product had the propensity to cause injury.
He claims the rig lacked safe securement and was supplied with chains and idlers that were incapable of withstanding normal stress and vibration associated with its use.
Rosenburg claims that he suffered severe, permanent and disfiguring injuries to his low back. He also has suffered pain and mental anguish.
As a result of the his injuries, Rosenburg claims that he had to spend large sums of money for medical treatment, plus he has lost wages and may have been damaged in his capacity to earn wages in the future.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge George Moran.
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Faulty equipment, deprived wife leads big rig driver to sue
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