Products Liability Law Reporter

Jeffrey Lorenzano, 36, worked as a maintenance coach at a distribution center, where he was tasked with inspecting newly installed air-powered dock levelers. As he stood inside a semi-tractor trailer backed up to one of the levelers, he noticed that the leveler’s platform was raising as anticipated, but the lip of leveler—which was meant to create a bridge-like platform from the loading dock to the semi-tractor trailer—was not extending. The leveler’s air bellows, which caused the platform to rise after filling with compressed air, ruptured, causing the lip to drop onto Lorenzano’s right foot. He suffered crush injuries, necessitating two surgeries and physical therapy, and will require another surgery. His medical expenses exceeded $150,500. He missed five months of work, incurring lost income of almost $23,800.

Lorenzano brought a products liability suit against Systems, Inc., which manufactured the dock leveler, alleging that the product’s steel-belted rubber bellows system and a chain connector responsible for extending the lip were insufficient. The defendant countered that the plaintiff had put himself within the zone of danger. The company also argued that Advantage Sales & Supply Co., which distributed the tension chain connector that caused the dock leveler’s lip to extend outward, was liable for the plaintiff’s injuries.

The jury awarded more than $584,300, apportioning liability at 75 percent to Systems, Inc.; 20 percent to the plaintiff; and 5 percent to Advantage Sales.

Citation: Lorenzano v. Systems, Inc., No. 6:17-cv-422-Orl-37DCI (M.D. Fla. Oct. 1, 2018).

Plaintiff counsel: AAJ members J. Blaise Fischbach and Andrew F. Knopf, both of Winter Park, Fla.

Plaintiff experts: Santo BiFulco, life care planning, and Joyce Eastridge, economics, both of Tampa; and Jeffrey Bradshaw, engineering, Altamonte Springs, Fla.

Defense expert: Richard Lewis, engineering, Gainesville, Fla.