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$21.3M Awarded in Garage Door Injury Suit
Indiana Personal Injury Award for Garage Door Malfunction
An Indianapolis man that was paralyzed from the chest down when he was crushed by a malfunctioning garage door back in 2006 has won a $21.3 million award from the company that had serviced and inspected the door. The damages award stemmed from a construction accident on April 6, 2006, in which Ralph Parker was pinned between a garage door and the roof structure of a garage where he was working on an electrical wiring project.
Parker was replacing old wiring in his garage when the garage door activated and trapped him between the door and roof. When the motor later failed, the door dropped and Parker fell head-first to the ground about 14 feet below where he had been working.
The lawsuit alleged his injuries were the direct result of Professional Garage Door Systems' "negligent inspection, service and/or repair of the garage door opener." The accident left Parker with permanent, disabling spine injuries which caused him to be paralyzed from the chest down.
The jury awarded Parker $18.2 million for his injuries. The jury also awarded Parker's wife $3.15 million for loss of her husband's love, companionship, comfort, affection and physical assistance.