Worker dies after exposure to chemicals on cleaning job — $1.75 million settlement

Type of action: Premises liability

Injuries alleged: Severe reaction to workplace chemicals leading to organ failure and death

Date resolved: March 1, 2025

Special damages: Medical bills of $192,000

Amount: $1.75 million

Attorneys for plaintiff: Elliott M. Buckner, M. Scott Bucci and Donald Gee, Richmond, Cantor Grana Buckner Bucci

Plaintiff’s experts: The plaintiff hired a PhD chemistry professor at a large state school who regularly worked with the subject chemical and the Medical Examiner was prepared to testify about cause of death

Description of case: The plaintiff’s decedent was 30 years old when he died. He worked for a contractor that provided industrial cleaning services to manufacturers. While performing a cleaning job, he was exposed to a chemical that is known to cause severe reactions, including possibly death, if inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

The plaintiff’s decedent began experiencing acute adverse symptoms the morning after his exposure. He was taken to the hospital and died the following day.

The defendant challenged causation, arguing that a similarly exposed coworker did not become ill. The defendant also argued that the decedent’s employer was the one responsible for providing any necessary PPE and for protecting against the decedent’s exposure during the work.

The beneficiaries were the decedent’s young daughters, aged 11 and 1 at the time of his death. A portion of the settlement proceeds was placed into a trust for each of the girls for their needs until they turn 18. The balance was placed in annuities which will pay out in excess of $2.7 million over the girls’ lifetimes.

[025-T-208]