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The estate of a man who died after being electrocuted by a powerline arc is suing Duke Energy Indiana and several others for negligence over the 2024 accident.
Andrew Jackson, 55, was cutting trees at a home in Bicknell in September 2024 when an electrical arc from a nearby powerline hit the lift he was on and electrocuted him. Jackson himself never touched the powerline before being electrocuted, according to court documents.
Jackson was found hanging over the edge of the lift’s platform, about 30 feet in the air, still alive. He remained conscious and in pain until his death 11 days later from injuries tied to the electrocution, court papers say.
His estate is now suing several companies in connection with the accident, including Center Oak Rentals LLC, which owned and rented the lift Jackson used, as well as Mark Mackey and Mark Mackey Farms LLC, who managed the property Jackson was working on.
The complaint, filed Friday in Hendricks County Circuit Court, says the defendants failed to take reasonable care to ensure their products and property would not cause injury. As a result, Jackson and his estate have suffered physical and emotional pain, lost wages, medical expenses and wrongful death, the lawsuit states.
Against Duke, the estate argues the energy company was negligent in failing to manage its vegetation management system, which required certain clearances between powerlines and tree branches to prevent power outages or injuries.
The estate argues the rental companies were negligent in maintaining and repairing the lift. The complaint notes that Mackey Farms asked Jackson to remove trees in the area and rented the lift for him to use.
The defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Indiana Lawyer.
The case is Estate of Andrew Jackson by and through, Special Personal Representative, Sandra Nasser v. Duke Energy Indiana, LLC, Duke Energy Corporation, PSI Energy, Inc. et al, 32C01-2609-CT-000174.
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