Henry Chaney has filed a lawsuit against Reddy Ice Company, Inc., alleging negligence after suffering severe injuries in a workplace accident. The complaint was lodged on November 8, 2024, in the District Court of Harris County, Texas. Chaney is seeking over $2 million in damages from Reddy Ice Company.
According to the court documents, the incident occurred on July 3, 2023, at Reddy Ice's premises located at 6004 N Shepherd Dr., Houston, Texas. Chaney claims he was instructed by a supervisor to unload pallets from inside a box truck without proper safety equipment or procedures. This task deviated from standard practices that typically involved using an unloading dock and equipment like forklifts or power jacks. During this process, a pallet fell and struck Chaney on the head, causing significant injuries. At the time of the accident, Reddy Ice was not subscribed to the Texas Workers' Compensation program, which limits their defenses under Texas Labor Code § 406.033.
Chaney's petition accuses Reddy Ice of multiple counts of negligence including negligent supervision and training, failure to provide a safe workplace and necessary safety equipment, as well as violating workplace safety regulations such as those set by OSHA. The plaintiff asserts that these failures directly resulted in his injuries and holds Reddy Ice vicariously liable for its employees' actions under the doctrine of respondeat superior.
In terms of relief sought, Chaney is asking for compensation covering past and future physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, medical expenses, loss of wages and earning capacity, physical impairment, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life. He also seeks pre-judgment and post-judgment interest along with court costs.
The case is being handled by attorneys Kathryn L. Knotts and Michael Larrieux from The Carlson Law Firm P.C., while it will be presided over by judges in Harris County's 270th Judicial District Court under Case ID 2024-79469.