A lawsuit has been filed against a contractor who provided powder to a man who was inside a World War II-era tank at the time of his death. According to the news report out of Oregon, the man who was killed was with a friend, also deceased, at the time of the incident.
It’s reported that the 51-year-old man and his assistant, a 22-year-old man, were working inside a 1944 M-18 Hellcat at a gun range located in Bend in 2015. They were using the powder supplied by a contractor to attempt to fire from the tank. Unfortunately, while trying to fire a round, it exploded. The assistant died immediately, but the family states that the 51-year-old man survived around a half-hour following the incident.
The family is suing for $12.8 million, but it claims it has a good reason for the amount. During the 27 minutes that the man survived after the incident, he allegedly was aware and knew that he was going to die. Additionally, the family believes that the propellant in the ammunition provided, which was to be used in a demonstration for the Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum, was old.
The contractor claims that the man caused the accident himself by overloading the shell. He claims that he warned him not to use more than an ounce but that the man used an additional eight.
Wrongful deaths aren’t always easy to explain, and families need to have the right to seek compensation and claims. A good investigation can help you make a claim with evidence to support it if you lose someone you love.