PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh man is suing an Elizabeth water services company over injuries he allegedly sustained while working on a road project.
Thomas Sams filed a complaint on June 17 in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas against Hydro Technical Services Inc. alleging negligence.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff was employed by PennDOT and was working for the defendant on Sept. 18, 2017, as a highway foreman. He was overseeing a maintenance crew that was clearing a storm water inlet along Rodi Road in Penn Hills.
The suit states PennDot had contracted the defendant to rent a truck that had a high-pressure water hose to discharge debris.
The plaintiff alleges he marked off the road work site and the defendant began to clear an inlet by shooting water at high pressure. The plaintiff alleges he was assisting the defendant's operator and when the operator believed that the pressure of the water was inadequate to remove all of the debris, the operator upped the pressure. The plaintiff alleges he was holding the hose while the defendant increased the pressure and the plaintiff was knocked backward by the pressure, causing injury.
The plaintiff is seeking all reasonable sums due, attorney fees and court costs. The plaintiff is represented by Thomas J. McClain of Dugan & Associates in Pittsburgh.
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas case number 19-008674