Terex Telelect, a manufacturer of truck-mounted aerial devices and part of the Terex Lifting Group, has agreed to pay an undisclosed settlement to a man injured while operating one of its High Ranger machines.
An Alabama jury verdict last month awarded $114.5 million to the former utility worker, who lost one arm and use of the other after suffering an electric shock while working on a power line. As part of an agreement, the Watertown, S.D., unit of Terex Corp. will pay no more than an earlier agreed-upon sum and will not appeal the decision.
Attorneys for the plaintiff said the injury could have been prevented if the bucket truck's control handle had been insulated. Terex claimed the worker ignored safety rules, including refusing to wear rubber gloves.
"We've been making these products for a lot of years, and we have never had a circumstance like this," said Eric Cohen, general counsel for Terex. "Our view is that the product is safe if it is used properly."
