New Brunswick woman sues after alleged RWJ hospital construction accident
NEW BRUNSWICK – A city woman who works as a crossing guard is suing the owners and contractor of a Somerset Street construction site after a metal pole allegedly fell 15 stories and struck her.
Chquiha Jackson filed the lawsuit in Middlesex County Superior Court on May 10 against Torcon Inc., a general contractor based in Red Bank and Philadelphia, RWJBarnabas Health, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Somerset Urban Renewal LLC.
According to the lawsuit, on April 28, 2023 Jackson, employed by the city as a crossing guard at the intersection of Plum and Somerset streets, was on the job when a metal pole fell about 15 stories from the construction site at 210 Somerset St., and struck her, causing severe injuries.
Jackson's injuries include neck pain, right shoulder pain, right arm pain, back and chest pain, and right leg pain, the lawsuit states. She is seeking damages, along with interest, cost of the suit and attorney fees.
“As this case is in active litigation, we are unable to provide comment," Robert Cavanaugh, spokesperson for Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health, said in an email.
Torcon Inc. has not yet responded to a request for comment.
The RWJ Barnabas Health website indicates that the facility at 210 Somerset St., a 15-story ambulatory medical pavilion, will be home to outpatient services for the hospital and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School’s centers of excellence, such as cardiovascular and neuroscience.
The lawsuit alleges Torcon, RWJ Barnabas Health, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Somerset Urban Renewal were responsible for the property under construction at 210 Somerset St. and had a duty to use reasonable care to protect individuals in the area of the construction project from hazards on or around the property.
"The defendants, through their respective agents, servants and employees, negligently and carelessly, exercised their duties and responsibilities ....failed to properly maintain a safe and hazard-free construction site, failed to provide adequate warnings of known hazards at the construction site, failed to maintain or provide the proper safety and protection equipment, and otherwise created a hazard and danger to individuals at or around the construction site and the premises," the lawsuit charges.
The lawsuit asks the defendants to produce a complete copy of all written records, contracts, bills, correspondence, and notes about the construction project, as well as policies and procedures, accident reports from the incident.
The lawsuit also requests a list of all witnesses to the and a list of all employees who were present or working at the site on that day.
Email: srussell@gannettnj.com
Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: RWJ hospital construction accident lawsuit filed
