Man Killed by Tractor

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Case Result

Our client was operating a tractor with a pull-behind rotary mower to groom interstate medians for INDOT. While mowing, the tractor fell into a large sinkhole allegedly caused by a defective INDOT drainage tile, causing our client to be thrown from the seat. The tractor continued to run, leading to the rotary mower rolling over our client and instantly killing him. Chris Stevenson alleged that the tractor did not have a proper Operator Presence Sensing System (OPSS) to shut the tractor down if an operator is removed from the seat, and that the rotary mower did not have proper guarding. The case against INDOT, the tractor manufacturer, and mower equipment dealer was successfully settled at mediation.