In February of this year, a 10-year-old boy, Aiden Rodriguez, was killed when a driveway security gate crushed him and caused fatal injuries. Aiden’s parents have filed a lawsuit against the gate’s manufacturer and the homeowner, seeking damages in excess of $1 million.
While playing over at his friend’s home, Aiden got caught between gaps in the driveway gate, where metal mesh had been removed. While he was stuck between the bars of the gate, his friend triggered the gate which began to open. While opening –with Aiden still trapped between the bars– Aiden was crushed between the gate and the wall. Thereafter, Aiden was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead five days later. The medical examiner’s report determined asphyxiation to be the cause of death.
The attorney for Aiden’s parents publicly stated that manufacturers and designers of electronic gates have known for decades that their products have killed children in the same way that Aiden tragically died. Moreover, he stated that it is unconscionable that any company would continue to build and design gates that are capable of causing fatal injuries to children.
The lawsuit alleges that the gate-sold under the brand name ‘Liftmaster’-“was defectively designed because it did not have a mandatory safety system that stopped and reversed the motion of the gate when it encountered resistance.” In addition to Liftmaster, the other defendants named in the lawsuit include: Fusion Gate, Inc., which designed the gate; George Dahmen Construction, which installed the gate; Omron Electronics, which manufactured the electric eye; and the homeowner, who the lawsuit alleges should have known that the gap in the gate posed danger to children.
Most modern security gates are now equipped with reverse-upon-resistance technology, which in this case would have saved Aiden’s life. With such technology available, there is no reason whatsoever for accidents, such as the one Aiden suffered, to occur.
If you or someone you know has been injured due to a defective security system or gate, contact an experienced attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or toll free at 713-222-7211.