PITTSBURGH — A surviving mother is suing Community Options Inc. and two individual defendants, citing alleged negligence that led to the death of her son.
Linda Kulokowski, on behalf of the estate of the late James Hines Jr., filed a complaint May 16 in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County against Community Options, Lisa Barnes and Ashley Weaver for alleged violations of the Wrongful Death Act and Survival Act.
According to the complaint, Hines died on Dec. 17, 2017 after he was shot multiple times by a co-worker at the defendants' workplace. Kulokowski claims her son expressed concerns regarding the conduct of James Darnell King in the workplace, alleging that King threatened him, but the defendants did not reprimand or discipline King for the alleged threats.
The plaintiff said the defendants allegedly failed to adequately supervise King or discover his propensity for aggressive, intimidating or violent behavior toward co-workers.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks a judgment for all appropriate damages under the Wrongful Death Act and Survival Act and in an amount in excess of mandatory arbitration limits. She is represented by Joseph R. Froetschel and John P. Gismondi of Gismondi & Associates in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County case number GD-18-6143