As people get older, they often require more assistance for everyday chores that need to be done. It is often more safe for them to pay people to do things like mowing the lawn or cleaning a grill. This way, they can prevent accidents and injuries by relying on professional services that should be able to be trusted. But what happens when an employee of a company forgets to turn something off when they are done working in someone’s home?

In the case of Dastra v. Sparkle & Shine Cleaning Serv. Of SWFL, LLC, Sparkle & Shine Cleaning Service sent its employee to clean the home of James Dastra, who is 61 years old. When cleaning Dastra’s gas grill, the employee turned on one of its burners, but failed to turn it off before leaving the home. The next morning, Dastra pressed the grill’s ignition button and a massive explosion occurred. This accident caused serious injuries to Dastra as he suffered second and third degree burns to his legs and right arm, which required two separate skin surgeries. Dastra’s legs also became permanently scarred as well.

Dastra incurred over $97,000 in medical expenses and filed a lawsuit against Sparkle & Shine, alleging their employee had negligently failed to turn off the burner on his gas grill. The defendant, Sparkle & Shine Cleaning Service, denied that the employee failed to turn off the burner, but asserted that even if true, Dastra should have notice the smell of propane and the position of the burner knob before pressing the ignition button. The parties would end up settling for $2 million.

If you or a loved one have been affected by an accident or death, contact an experienced personal injury attorney at Hurst Limontes, LLC. We have decades of combined experience fighting for our clients in any number of personal injury claims. Call 317-636-0808 or email us for a FREE and confidential consultation.