$27.5 Million Jury Verdict for the Death of a Fifteen-Year-Old Boy Who Received 13,000 Volts from a Power Line

In 2012, Justin Dominguez, 15, was playing with friends in a neighbor’s yard. The neighbor’s house was located next to a vacant spot that contained bamboo stalks under a 13,000-volt, uninsulated power line.

Justin climbed up the bamboo stalks, which contacted the power line. He received a severe electric shock and was hospitalized. He unfortunately remained in a coma until he died approximately two weeks later. He was survived by his mother.

Justin’s mother, on behalf of his estate, sued Florida Power & Light Co., alleging it negligently chose not to remove the bamboo despite a 2008 work order and written report to the defendants’ lead arborist identifying the location as a critical removal site. The Dominguez family asserted that Florida Power & Light had a duty to clear its line of vegetation, especially bamboo, which is highly conductive and fast-growing.

The jury signed a verdict of $27.5 million, which included $15 million in punitive damages. The jury apportioned liability at 70% to Florida Power & Light and 30% to Justin. Post-trial motions for a new trial are reported to be pending.

The attorneys successfully handling this tragic lawsuit were Ty Roland and Evan Lubell.

Dominguez v. Florida Power & Light Co., No. 13-CA-3351 (Fla. Cir. Ct. Lee County).

Kreisman Law Offices has been handling catastrophic injury lawsuits, wrongful death cases, construction injury lawsuits and car accident cases for individuals, families and loved ones who have been injured, harmed or killed by the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 40 years in and around Chicago, Cook County and its surrounding areas, including Aurora, Crystal Lake, Fox Lake, Bolingbrook, Orland Park, Tinley Park, Joliet, Downers Grove, Elgin, St. Charles, Calumet City, Cicero, Des Plaines, Countryside, Bridgeview, Chicago (East Garfield Park, North Lawndale, Lower West Side, McKinley Park, South Lawndale, Chinatown, Near South Side, River North, Lincoln Park, Bucktown, Logan Square, Irving Park, Portage Park, Belmont Cragin, Hermosa, Dunning, North Park, Wildwood, Edison Park, Edgebrook), Park Ridge, Norridge and Morton Grove, Ill.