RTJG client Genie Industries, Inc. secured a defense verdict in its favor in a products liability action tried before a jury in Philadelphia County in October 2023.
Plaintiff Michael Blake was elevated on a Genie scissor lift when the cinderblock wall he was demolishing collapsed and fell into the lift. Blake was hired by co-defendants Rusden Properties and Mark Rusden to demolish an interior 20-foot cinderblock wall at a construction and remodeling project. Blake made a specific rental request to Home Depot for the rental of a 20-foot scissor lift, which Blake also needed to fit through standard doorways of the building. The product at issue in this action was the Genie AWP-Vertically Elevating Work Platform, Slab Scissor Lift, Model GS-1930, designed by Genie and manufactured in 2018.
The theory against Genie was the subject lift was defective because it did not come equipped with outriggers. Defense counsel was able to demonstrate, however, that the proposed design change was not necessary to make the lift safe and would not have prevented this accident. The verdict was in favor of Genie in all respects. Plaintiff secured a verdict in his favor against the Rusden defendants.
The Blake case was tried by RTJG Founding Member Francis Grey and Member Rebecca Leonard.