FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

PRODUCT LIABILITY SUIT
SETTLES FOR $1,300,000.00

On January 14, 2004, Thomas Bryant, Jr. was working at the Glass Group Inc. (formerly Wheaton Glass) in Millville New Jersey. He was assigned to “upkeep” on a glass bottle manufacturing machine and as he was changing a neck ring his shirt became engulfed in flames. The fire started when Mr. Bryant’s shirt came in contact with the 1500 degree bottles that are moved by conveyor. Bryant, through his attorney Andrew Rossetti Esquire of Rossetti & DeVoto P.C., in Cherry Hill, N.J filed suit against Wheaton Industries and/or Maul Technology who designed and manufactured the machine. Rossetti argued, “It was not only foreseeable but obvious that workers would have to reach across the hot bottles to perform routine maintenance and that the machine should have contained a flip-up guard.” Rossetti proved that the flip-up guard was also used on other similar machines in Europe.

According to Rossetti, Bryant suffered severe burn injuries, inhalation injuries with permanent scarring, and has a permanently implanted filter for blood clots. After the accident, Mr. Bryant’s injuries required flight by helicopter to a specialized burn center at Crozier Chester Medical Center. He required two surgical interventions, 6 ½ weeks in burn unit, intubation for respiratory insufficiency and placement of tracheostomy for mechanical ventilation and placement of feeding tube.

The settlement was reached after several days of complex mediation before the Honorable Barry M. Weinberg.

Attorney for Plaintiff:

Andrew J. Rossetti Esquire
Rossetti & DeVoto, P.C.
20 Brace Road
Suite 115
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034

Attorney for Defendants:
Law Offices of Robert J. McGuirl

Carmelo T. Torraca, Esquire
Cooper Levenson

Docket No: CUM-L-581-06