Iron worker claims leg crushed in suit against Bechtel

An iron worker claims his left leg was crushed between two pieces of metal, one of which weighed more than 15,000 pounds, after employees at a work site failed to monitor dangerously high wind speeds.

Daron D. Nowark filed a lawsuit Dec. 7 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Bechtel Corporation, Bechtel Power Corporation, Becon Construction Company, Prairie State Energy Campus Management and Prairie State Generating Company.

In his complaint, Nowark claims he was employed as an iron worker and was completing a construction project at the Prairie State Energy Power Plant in Lively Grove on Nov. 8, 2008, when the incident occurred.

"On or about December 8, 2008, Daron Nowark suffered a severe injury to his left leg when workers at the site lost control of a piece of steel weighing over 15,000 pounds, allowing it to crush Plaintiff's left leg against another piece of steel while he was positioned over 150 feet in the air," the suit states.

In addition to his leg injuries, Nowark suffered great mental and physical pain and anguish, incurred medical costs, lost income and his earning capacity and experienced permanent physical disabilities because of the accident, the complaint says. He claims he has also been unable to participate in all of his usual activities.

In his complaint, Nowark blames Bechtel and Prairie State Energy for causing his injuries, saying its employees negligently failed to monitor wind speeds at the construction site, failed to utilize proper equipment for tracking wind speeds and failed to warn him of the high wind speeds, among other negligent acts.

In his 10-count complaint, Nowark seeks a judgment of more than $500,000, plus costs.

David C. Nelson of Nelson and Nelson in Belleville will be representing him.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 11-L-669.