OAKLAND, Calif., July 19, 2024 /PRNewswire
Arias Sanguinetti partners Elise R. Sanguinetti and Jamie G. Goldstein obtained a $8.29 million verdict on behalf of a man whose hand was severely crushed while moving equipment at the Rolling Loud Festival.
According to the complaint, on September 28, 2019, Angel Aguirre was an employee of SGPS Showrig. He was responsible for the stage set-up and breakdown during the Rolling Loud Festival at the Oakland Coliseum for the artist 21 Savage.
The complaint further states another stagehand was operating a forklift during the stage breakdown – the forklift that would end up crushing Mr. Aguirre’s hand. This forklift driver was required to ensure he could see Mr. Aguirre in a safe position before moving the forks. The visualization was crucial due to the noisy environment created by the performer and crowds of attendees.
As they began their work, the sun was setting, shrouding the area in darkness. The forklift-operator claimed that he heard Mr. Aguirre provide a verbal instruction to move the forks, an instruction that never occurred, and that led to the disaster. Mr. Aguirre was left in harm’s way when the forklift operator moved the forks, crushing Mr. Aguirre’s hand. He screamed as his hand was crushed and his body stretched as the forks were raised in the air. The forklift-operator eventually realized what was happening and stopped the forks, but it was too late. Mr. Aguirre had suffered a severe crush injury to his hand. He passed out from the pain and was then taken away by ambulance.
After the incident, Mr. Aguirre was taken to Highland Hospital, and it was noted that he suffered a degloving injury with lacerated nerves and severe injury to the tendons and ligaments of his right hand.
The lawsuit was brought because Mr. Aguirre’s safety was sacrificed when AEG Oakland Management, LCC and Tommy Harman failed to meet safety standards. The operator did not take Mr. Aguirre’s location or safety into proper consideration, and this failure to abide by proper safety policies led to disaster.
Mr. Aguirre suffered severe lacerations, nerve damage, tendon damage, and a significant crush injury to his dominant right hand, including his index and middle fingers. He now has pain and numbness in his right hand, wrist, and shoulder. He also has Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), which is a chronic progressive and debilitating pain disorder that causes pain that is disproportionate to the severity of an initial injury.
He has undergone significant treatment, including surgery, over the past 5 years, and will require continued treatment well into the future. The cost of his past and future medical care is substantial. He is unable to work now and in the future due to this injury.
“Mr. Aguirre was a highly skilled professional in his line of work and ultimately suffered severe and life-altering injuries at the fault of a negligent forklift-operator,” said attorney Elise Sanguinetti. “This incident was completely preventable, but the failure to follow basic safety precautions ruined his life. He’s been unable to do the work he loves and was trained for, and the financial burden from this lack of work and the crushing medical bills has caused a brutal level of stress. This verdict will go a long way toward alleviating that stress and helping him move on with his life” said attorney Jamie Goldstein.
The case is Angel Aguirre v. AEG Management Oakland, LLC and Tommy Harman, Alameda Superior Court, Case No. RG20-074680.
