Pa. Convention Center sued by injured forklift operator

A worker who claims he sustained multiple bone fractures after his forklift skidded on standing water at the Pennsylvania Convention Center earlier this year, causing the piece of machinery to collide with another vehicle, has filed suit against the City of Philadelphia, the convention center and others in state court.

Lorenzo Thomas was operating a forklift at the convention center’s premises at 1101 Arch St. in downtown Philadelphia on Jan. 23, when the device came into contact with the water, and sent the plaintiff crashing into another vehicle at the worksite, the lawsuit states.

As a result of the incident, Thomas sustained various bodily injuries and aggravation of pre-existing conditions, the complaint alleges, including, but not limited to, a left fifth metatarsal fracture dislocation, a left cuboid fracture, left second through fifth metatarsophalangeal joint dislocations, and fourth metatarsal base fracture.

The plaintiff experienced great financial detriment as a result of having to pay hospitals for the treatment and care of his injuries, the lawsuit claims.

Thomas is also expected to incur additional medical and rehabilitative expenses equal to and/or in excess of any applicable health insurance coverage, the suit says.

The defendants named in the civil action are the Pennsylvania Convention Center, (which is incorrectly identified in the complaint as the ‘Philadelphia’ Convention Center), the City of Philadelphia, General Expo Services, Team Clean and Marketplace Events.

The various defendants are accused of negligence, carelessness and/or recklessness for failing to properly maintain the premises, failing to provide sufficient warnings as to the reasonably foreseeable defects and dangerous nature of the premises, failing to barricade or block off dangerous areas on the premises, and failing to remove snow, ice and other liquids from the sidewalks, driveways and walkways of the premises.

The suit alleges that Thomas has experienced great pain and suffering, anguish, sickness and agony, and will continue to suffer the same for an indefinite period into the future.

Thomas demands judgment in excess of $50,000, plus attorney’s fees and costs.

The lawsuit was filed Nov. 12 at the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas by Philadelphia attorney Craig A. Altman.

 

The case ID number is 121101036.