$6 part cost company almost $6 million

By Amy Teeple

Published on May 24, 2006

Sandra Ronske, the driver's widow, was awarded $5.99 million for the wrongful death claim and another $7,700 for funeral expenses.

The Stark County jury found Heil Co. liable for the death of Robert Ronske, 53. According to court documents, Ronske was performing maintenance on his truck when his body triggered a control valve on the truck's cab. The dump bed silently lowered within four seconds and pinned Ronske against his truck's frame.

According to the lawsuit, if a safety device, which retails for $6.66, had been installed then Ronske would have survived. The jury found that although the Heil Co. was aware of the risks, it did not sufficiently warn consumers and distributors. The company also did not include the safety device with its dump-bed kits.

The Ronske attorney, Brian Zimmerman, said the jury’s decision "sends the message that life is much more valuable than profit."

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