Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Lawyer Blog
Mark Fidrych was an All-Star pitcher for the Detroit Tigers for five years when his career was cut short by injuries. He was Rookie of the Year in 1976, but knee and shoulder injuries limited him to fifty eight major league games.He died from sudden asphyxia by suffocation after his clothing became entangled in the power takeoff shaft of his Mack dump truck at his Northboro home. The power takeoff shaft is usually used to transmit power from a tractor or other source to mowers, choppers and other equipment.
The family filed a wrongful death and product liability lawsuit following his death in 2009 while working on his dump truck. Mr. Fidrych’s widow filed the suit against Mack Trucks of Greensboro, N.C., Morse Mack Sales of Worcester and Ballard Mack Sales & Service of Worcester.
The plaintiff’s lawyers allege that the truck that Mr. Fidrych was working on at the time of his death was negligently designed, manufactured and marketed and was in a dangerous or defective condition when sold.
The family seeks an unspecified amount of money damages for conscious pain and suffering and wrongful death under negligent design, manufacture, marketing and sale; negligent failure to warn and instruct; breach of implied warranty of merchantability; and negligent sale, service and repair. The lawsuit is also seeking punitive damages under the wrongful death claims.
Pulgini & Norton, LLP attorneys have handled personal injury claims for over 25 years in and around Boston and its surrounding areas. If you or a family member has been injured due to someone else’s negligence and would like to seek legal assistance, please contact us at (781) 843-2200 or (888) 344-2046 or email us.
Cited Sources:
Ex-big leaguer Mark ‘The Bird’ Fidrych dead at 54, USA Today, April 14, 2009
‘Bird’ family files lawsuit: Fidrych case targets truck, Newstelegram.com, July 24, 2012