Winter is coming to Pennsylvania, and some areas of the state have already had their first snowfall of the season. This time of year, many residents may want to make sure the heating system in their home is working properly. When service is needed, they often rely on an experienced utility worker to get the job done. The wife of one such worker has filed a wrongful death suit after her husband was killed in a home on a service call.
Last year, the man was sent to a home in Pennsylvania to work on a natural gas utility system. Unfortunately, a small part on the system had been installed wrong years ago by the Honeywell Company, also the party that manufactured the system. A terrible explosion followed the man’s attempt to service the system, and he was killed.
The suit also alleges that a utility company is partly responsible for the man’s death because it did not require the power to be shut off during repairs to the gas system, which added to the volatility of the explosion. The widow maintains that faulty parts, incorrect installation and negligent procedures directly caused her husband’s untimely death. The suit also notes that Honeywell was aware that the parts were potentially defective and did not take any precautions to prevent a horrible accident.
If a person suspects a family member has become the victim of a wrongful death, he or she may want to seek justice in a court of law. In a time of grief and loss, he or she may have trouble deciding how best to proceed. Often, a compassionate attorney can assist a client by explaining the legal process and helping present evidence that a death was caused by the negligence of another party in a court of law.