Mechanic fatally struck in head by cockpit door | Workplace accident causes death

In April 2008, plaintiff's decedent Larry Hagerman, 42, was working at the Taylor Municipal Airport when he attempted to open the cockpit door of a recently landed a Hawker Beechraft aircraft owned by Alaro Inc., operated by Pumpco Inc. pilot Albert Sidaras. The cabin door opened explosively and hit Hagerman's head causing fatal injuries.

Hagerman sustained massive head trauma and died the next day. He left a wife and two children, 12 and 14.

Hagerman's wife sued Hawker Beechcraft for products liability, and Alaor, Pumpco, and Sidaras for negligence. The plaintiff's lawyers argued that the door opened explosively because the cab was still pressurized and that the plane's depressurization system was defectively designed because it contained no warning signs to warn pilots or workers of this and because no safety system was in place to prevent doors from opening explosively when the cabin is pressurized. The plaintiff's counsel also argued that the pilot Sidaras was negligent in failing to depressurize the cabin or warn Hagerman of this.

They jury found Beechcraft 20 percent responsible and Sidaras 80 responsible. The family was awarded $7 million dollars. The award was offset by $1.8 million because of Beechcraft settlement.

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