Woman Seeking Justice After Father of 3 Dies in Tragic Warehouse Accident

There are 1,315,561 lawyers in the United States, but it may take a very skilled lawyer to argue in this case involving a warehouse accident that led to death.

In Chicago, Andrea Brown, special administrator of the estate of Donald Coleman, is suing the owner of a warehouse distribution center in Romeoville, Mat Holdings Inc., after a father of three small children was killed in an accident involving a reach lift at the warehouse.

Brown alleges that the defendant, Mat Holdings Inc., failed to provide the necessary training required to operate the heavy machinery inside the warehouse. Close to 70% of warehouse injuries involve accidents by well-trained personnel, which proves how dangerous these machines can be, even if the proper training is given.

Brown also believes a thorough warning should have been given. This was Coleman’s very first day at his new place of employment, and she is under the impression that there is a possibility that the tragic death could have been prevented had Coleman received adequate training before operating such heavy machinery.

According to the lawsuit filed by Brown on March 7 in Cook Country Circuit Court, Brown claims that Coleman sustained severe and serious physical injuries while attempting to operate the reach lift on his first day — January 12 of this year. Brown claims the defendant allowed Coleman to operate the machinery knowing full well that he was in need of some more training and had not yet received an adequate amount to lower the risk of injury.

This warehouse death is not an isolated incident. Approximately 35% of on-the-job injuries are caused by machine accidents each year, as well as 14% of work-related deaths.

Brown is seeking judgment against Mat Holdings, Inc. in an amount that is higher than legally allowed by the jurisdictional limits of the court plus additional costs. Representing her in court will be Willard L. Hemsworth III of Rathbun, Cserventak and Kozol in Joliet.