A California couple, long-distance truckers who allege they suffered carbon monoxide poisoning, are suing five companies that they blame their illness on.
M. Jeffrey Barger and Martha Cervantes allege negligence, claiming that four Salt Lake City and one Colorado company failed to properly fix the rig they were driving. They filed suit in the 3rd District Court in Salt Lake City with Barger claiming he sustained brain damage.
After receiving training in February 2009 from the CR England Training Program, Barger was driving a leased 2007 Freightliner truck, according to the Deseret News.
That truck had issues with its exhaust system, and the repairs were supposed to have been performed by Horizon Truck Sales and Leasing, according to the suit.Two other companies also supposdly made repairs on the truck, Trans-West and Smith Detroit Diesel/Allision.
But according to the suit, on June 29, 2009 Barger was on his way to a pick-up when he felt sick and he had to go to the hospital. As it turns out, over a period of several months Barger had been exposed to carbon monoxide that was being emitted inside the truck.
Barger was exposed to so much carbon monoxide that it caused “severe and irreversible injuries, including, but not limited to, permanent brain damage,” according to the suit, the Deseret News reported Monday.
Cervantes also claims that she had carbon monoxide poisoning, and that this has hindered her ability to work.
The lawsuit seeks economic and non-economic damages, costs, attorney fees and interest.
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