Personal Injury Law Firm Riddle & Brantley Continues Representation of Firework Truck Explosion Victim after Appeal Ruling
Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) February 12, 2014 -- Raleigh-area personal injury law firm Riddle & Brantley will continue to represent the family of the victim of a 2009 fireworks accident after the North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the plaintiffs Feb. 4. The decision allowed lawsuits brought by the families of three deceased victims and an injured worker against East Coast Pyrotechnics, Inc. (Wayne County, no. 11 CVS 1377), formerly known as Melrose South Pyrotechnics, Inc., to continue.
Riddle & Brantley attorney Jonathan Smith says all the families involved in this case have suffered the tragic loss of a loved one.
“They are all deeply saddened by this loss but they are also very troubled by the way it happened,” Smith said. “We are very pleased that the Court of Appeals rendered a decision which will allow these families to continue to seek closure and justice.”
The case will return to court for potential trials barring a revision, ABC News reported on Feb. 4. The state Supreme Court is not required to hear an appeal of Tuesday’s opinion. Motions brought by East Coast Pyrotechnics to dismiss the case have been denied.
Many unresolved issues over facts remain in the case, including if the injured and deceased were independent contractors or employees, according to the ABC News article. If the victims are determined as employees, they will be obligated to use the state’s workers’ compensation system.
According to ABC News, the plaintiffs stated the severely injured victim and those killed received no safety training prior to the incident. These individuals were working in the back of the truck at the time of the explosion. The accident occurred when electric igniters pushed into the 700 pounds of fireworks being transported, leading to a small explosion. This small explosion would cause a larger explosion inside the truck blowing one victim out of the back gate and killing three others.
For more information about firework accident injuries and the legal options available to families who have lost a loved one due to firework accidents, call 919-876-3020 or visit Riddle & Brantley online at http://www.justicecounts.com/.
About Riddle & Brantley
With offices in Raleigh, Kinston, Goldsboro and Jacksonville, North Carolina, Riddle & Brantley delivers justice on behalf of injury and accident victims across the state. As one of the largest personal injury firms in North Carolina, Riddle & Brantley’s dedicated attorneys utilize their experience and passion for justice to protect the victims of firework accident injuries.
Riddle & Brantley, LLP
Crabtree Center
4600 Marriott Drive, Suite 500 Raleigh NC 27612
Telephone: 919-876-3020
Fax: 919-876-3060
Jonathan Smith, Riddle & Brantley, http://www.justicecounts.com/, +1 5612536709, [email protected]
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