Roughly 7,000 volts of electricity surged through Andre Pickering, a BVI Electricity Corporation employee, while he was at work on June 5, 2007.
“There was a huge explosion, he was thrown and he received a massive electrical shock,” according to court records. “Mr. Pickering was fortunate to survive despite sustaining severe injuries.”
Last month, High Court Justice Rita Joseph-Olivetti ruled that the accident wasn’t Mr. Pickering’s fault.
“More was required of BVIEC if they were to meet their obligation at common law to provide a reasonably safe place [to work],” Ms. Joseph-Olivetti wrote in a July court ruling that found the BVIEC negligent.
Mr. Pickering claimed that his employer was responsible for the accident, while the BVIEC denied liability. Efforts were made to settle the matter outside of court, according to the ruling, but on Nov. 11, 2009, Mr. Pickering filed the suit.
See the Aug. 30, 2012 edition for full coverage.