BELLEVILLE - An employee of Prairie Farms Dairy in O'Fallon is suing a company, alleging it failed to adequately maintain a loading dock.
In the lawsuit against defendant Rice Equipment Company, plaintiff Michael Fink claims that as a result of problems with the loading dock, he suffered "severe and permanently disabling injuries" while loading pallets of milk into a tractor trailer with an electric pallet jack.
"After unloading a pallet of milk into the trailer, plaintiff backed the pallet jack out, and struck the dock plate, which had inexplicably risen," the suit states.
Rice Equipment Co. had "recently performed service on this dock plate and concluded that it had been operating properly," the complaint alleges.
Fink claims Rice "failed to properly repair the loading dock and door leveler in Loading Dock#1." He also alleges the defendant "failed to inform plaintiff's employer that the door leveler at Loading Dock #1 and dock leveler needed to be replaced, instead of repaired."
Fink allegedly suffered an open fracture of his right fibula which required surgery, spinal injuries, injuries to his right hip, right knee and right shoulder.
He seeks more than $50,000 in damages in addition to legal costs. He is represented by Bruce Cook of Cook Bartholomew Shevlin Cook and Jones in Belleville.
Michael Fink v. Rice Equipment Company, Inc. St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 22LA521