Man Awarded $10 Million in Heat Pump Accident

A Kansas man and his wife were awarded $10 million by a Jackson County jury for injuries and severe shock caused by contact with an exposed live wire on a heat pump as he worked on the unit.

The Kansas City Star reports that plaintiff Donald Chapman was working on the pump while it was still connected to the building’s power supply and received a shock of 480 volts when he came in contact with live wire, which was left exposed due to a design change in the heat pump.

Chapman suffered multiple rib fractures, a spleen laceration that required surgical removal, and other injuries after sustaining the shock, which jolted him off a ladder and into a table corner, according to the lawsuit.

The pump’s maker, FHP Manufacturing Co. in Tallahassee, Fla., planned to appeal the verdict. FHP Manufacturing said that the heat pump was sound and that Chapman did not follow the accepted service procedures, according to the Star.

The jury assigned 60 percent of the fault to FHP manufacturing and 40 percent to the 37-year-old Chapman.

If you or a loved one has experienced a catastrophic accident or other personal injury, contact Sokolove Law today for a free legal consultation and to find out if a personal injury lawyer may be able to help you.

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