BELLEVILLE — A carpenter whose legs were crushed in a workplace incident two years ago in Granite City is suing several contractors involved in the project.
Jeffery McClain and Kimberly McClain filed a complaint on May 1 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Fred Weber Inc., Goodwind Bros Construction Co., Korte and Luitjohan Contractors Inc., et al., alleging the defendants failed to provide a safe working environment for their employees.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that on May 1, 2015, Jeffrery McClain was working as a carpenter/pile driver at the America's Central Port South Harbor expansion project when a stack of tube piling rolled over and crushed his legs.
As a result, Jeffery McClain claims he suffered severe and permanent injuries and was unable to attend to his usual duties, causing his wife to allegedly expend great sums of money for medical expenses and deprived her of his love and companionship.
The plaintiffs allege the defendants failed to ensure the safety of employees when they knew or should have known that the piling was stacked in such a dangerous and precarious manner and failed to require the proper wedges, cribbing or other such measures to ensure the piling could not roll while workers were present and attempting to rig the piling for placement.
The plaintiffs request a trial by jury and seek judgment in an amount that exceeds $75,000, plus costs and any other further relief the court deems just and appropriate.
They are represented by Kenneth L. Halvachs and Ronald J. Abernathy Jr. of Halvachs and Abernathy LLC in Belleville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 17-L-233