A roofing company and its employee are facing serious allegations after a contractor fell from a ladder, resulting in significant injuries. Paul Scott Clarke filed a complaint against Easton Scott Hohensee and .45 Kolt, L.L.C., doing business as Spire Roofing Solutions, in the District Court of Harris County, Texas on August 30, 2024.
According to the complaint, Clarke was working as an independent adjuster for an insurance company when he visited a property at 4304 Bingherest Lane in Bryan, Texas on October 7, 2022. The property had sustained roof damage due to a storm. Defendants Hohensee and Spire Roofing were retained to inspect and repair the damaged roof. When Clarke arrived at the property, he used a ladder placed by Hohensee to access the roof. The ladder collapsed while Clarke was climbing it, causing him to fall over nine feet onto a concrete sidewalk.
Clarke's petition alleges that the defendants were negligent in several ways: they failed to use a safe and appropriate ladder for the job; did not properly secure the ladder; used a ladder prone to collapse; failed to train their employees on safe ladder usage; and did not warn Clarke about the unsafe condition of the ladder. "Defendants had a duty to utilize a safe ladder for the jobsite and safely and securely place the ladder," states Clarke's complaint.
As a result of his fall, Clarke sustained severe injuries leading to substantial medical expenses, physical pain, mental anguish, impairment, disability, lost wages, and loss of enjoyment of life. He claims these damages will continue into the future. Clarke is seeking actual damages within the jurisdictional limits of the court but believes they could exceed $250,000 but not more than $1 million.
The lawsuit requests that defendants be cited and required to appear in court. It seeks pre- and post-judgment interest as allowed by law, costs of court proceedings, and any other relief deemed just by the court. Additionally, Clarke has requested a jury trial.
The case is being handled by attorneys Sherry Scott Chandler and Lewis M. Chandler from The Chandler Law Firm LLP. The case ID is 2024-58554 with Judge Monica Jackson presiding over it in Harris County’s 125th Judicial District Court.