|
LOS ANGELES -- The family of a veteran tree trimmer who died after being sucked into a woodchipper is suing the machine's manufacturer.
The family of Rafael Jimenez filed the lawsuit Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The lawsuit alleges Michigan-based Morbark, Inc. knew the chipper's safety features were insufficient years before Jimenez's April 2008 death and did nothing to prevent such a tragedy.
Jimenez, a senior trimmer for the city of Inglewood, was stuffing branches from a Chinese elm tree into a wood chipper when his right hand became entangled in the branches and he was tugged toward the chipper's steel knives.
The machine consumed nearly his entire body.
The family's attorney, Edward Steinbrecher, said Morbark has claimed in previous lawsuits that the operators have been at fault for any injuries.
The wood chipper has pull cords inside its chute designed to stop the machine in case of an emergency. But, Steinbrecher says the cords cannot be accessed by someone being sucked down the chute.
Larry Noch, Morbark's vice president of claims, declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying his company had not received it.
Prior to his death, Jimenez, a married father of four, lived in Perris. Friends and family describe him as a man who loved trees and was well aware of the dangers that came with his job.
The family of Rafael Jimenez filed the lawsuit Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The lawsuit alleges Michigan-based Morbark, Inc. knew the chipper's safety features were insufficient years before Jimenez's April 2008 death and did nothing to prevent such a tragedy.
Jimenez, a senior trimmer for the city of Inglewood, was stuffing branches from a Chinese elm tree into a wood chipper when his right hand became entangled in the branches and he was tugged toward the chipper's steel knives.
The machine consumed nearly his entire body.
The family's attorney, Edward Steinbrecher, said Morbark has claimed in previous lawsuits that the operators have been at fault for any injuries.
The wood chipper has pull cords inside its chute designed to stop the machine in case of an emergency. But, Steinbrecher says the cords cannot be accessed by someone being sucked down the chute.
Larry Noch, Morbark's vice president of claims, declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying his company had not received it.
Prior to his death, Jimenez, a married father of four, lived in Perris. Friends and family describe him as a man who loved trees and was well aware of the dangers that came with his job.
