Keefe Law Firm settled a wrongful death case against New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) after a 16-hour mediation. The case involved a 37-year-old man employed by Beaver Concrete Construction Company, a business that had been contracted to work on Seventh Street Bridge in Newark. The man was struck by an electrical arc originating from NJ Transit’s catenary line while working on the bridge.
The 37-year-old husband and father of two was set on fire after being hit by the arc. His coworkers put out the fire, and he was rushed to St. Barnabas Medical Center’s Burn Unit with second and third-degree burns covering 72 percent of his body.
Doctors worked tirelessly to save his life, but he passed away six days later. During those final six days, he suffered unimaginable pain and psychological trauma. His spouse retained Keefe Law Firm, who filed a wrongful death lawsuit against NJ Transit on her behalf.
The lawsuit argued that NJ Transit employees did not warn Beaver Concrete Construction Company workers of areas where catenary lines were de-energized. This implied that construction workers were unaware of areas where lines were energized and therefore extremely dangerous. The lawsuit also alleged that NJ Transit employees had failed to supervise the workers so they could be kept away from areas with energized catenary lines.
Evidence uncovered in the lawsuit showed that NJ Transit had violated its own safety rules for protecting outside contractors. Keefe Law Firm settled the case for $10,000,000, an amount that was approved by the judge.
If you or a loved one has been injured by NJ Transit, you have a 90-day window to file a claim. The man in our story provided income and guidance for his family. When he passed away, his family was left in a seemingly hopeless situation. The dedicated New Jersey personal injury attorneys at Keefe Law Firm fought to ensure that this man’s wife and children would have the resources to start over.