$1.5 Million Jury Verdict Entered After Worker Dies of Heat Exhaustion

Nathaniel Cooper, 24, was working in the packing area of a United Parcel Services (UPS) facility when he suffered heat exhaustion that led to his fatal cardiac event. He is survived by his fiancé and a minor child.

His fiancé, on behalf of the couple’s child, sued UPS claiming it was negligent in that it directed Cooper to work in unsafe conditions despite knowing that he had cardiac problems.

The lawsuit also claimed that UPS was grossly negligent for choosing not to install an adequate ventilation system, establish mandatory rest schedules and monitor workers for heat stress. Apparently the UPS facility where Cooper was working was an enclosed area that held heat at high temperatures.

The jury entered a verdict in the amount of $1,500,000, including $1 million in punitive damages.

The attorneys representing Cooper’s fiancé and child were Jason Itkin, Cory Itkin and Noah Wexler.

Barnes v. United Parcel Services Inc., No. 2008-54568 (Tex. Dist. Ct. Harris County).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling wrongful death cases, worker injury cases, construction site injury cases and catastrophic injury cases for individuals and families who have been injured or killed by the negligence of another for more than 40 years, in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Bridgeview, Bedford Park, Summit, Riverside, Yorkfield, Elmhurst, Bensenville, Midlothian, Orland Park, Arlington Heights, Chicago (Jackson Park, Highlands, Sauganash, Rosemont, Oz Park, Chinatown, Morgan Park, McKinley Park, Loyola Park, Wrigleyville, Hyde Park, Horner Park, Hegewisch), Oak Lawn, Dolton and Calumet City, Ill.

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