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Wife of man who died in beer cooler files wrongful death claim

The widow of an Ohio beer-dispensing system inventor who was found dead inside a baseball stadium beer cooler has filed a wrongful death lawsuit seeking compensation for damages. The death happened in Georgia in June 2018.

The victim, a 48-year-old father of four, patented a beer-pouring system called “Draftwell”, which was designed to reduce the amount of time it takes to pour a pint of beer from an average of 14 seconds to just five seconds. He marketed the invention to sports stadiums and installed it in two Major League Baseball parks. He was in the process of installing the system in a third venue, the Atlanta Braves’ SunTrust Park, when he decided to work an overnight shift. He was found dead in a concession stand beer cooler the next day. According to police investigators, he died after being exposed to carbon dioxide that was leaking from the draft beer system in the park.

In her lawsuit, the victim’s widow alleges that the construction team tasked with installing the new beer system knew that there were problems with the door release mechanisms in multiple coolers throughout the stadium. She also claims that the Atlanta Braves were aware of the faulty doors and the carbon dioxide leaks. She is suing the builders and the Braves for the loss of her husband’s income, his pain and suffering before death, the mental anguish that she and her family suffered following his death, medical expenses, funeral costs and other damages as permitted by statute.

Families who lose loved ones due to the negligent actions of others may need the help of Columbus, Ohio, wrongful death attorneys. The attorneys could collect evidence proving the negligent party is legally responsible for the victim’s death and file a wrongful death lawsuit on the family’s behalf.