A man who was seriously injured when a defective refrigerant exploded while working at an Oakland County Kroger store will earn more than $75 million from the corporation.
Brian Mierendorf, a 37-year-old pipefitter journeyman and HVAC technician, was working at the Bloomfield Township Kroger in 2020 when a malfunctioning refrigerant detonated. According to Marko Law, the law firm that represented him, Mierendorf sustained chemical burns and injection injuries as a result of R22, a refrigerant that the Environmental Protection Agency has now outlawed. He underwent 25 surgeries and had a substantial portion of his hands amputated as a result, according to his counsel.
According to Marko Law, Kroger was unable to present any refrigeration system maintenance, repair, or inspection records during the trial. Only a partial incident was reported, filed more than two years after the purported occurrence occurred.
After hearing the evidence, the jury awarded Mierendorf more than $75 million.
“Kroger had a ticking time bomb in its store at Bloomfield Township, waiting to blow. Unfortunately, it blew up on Brian and he lost his hands trying to save other people in the store from toxic chemicals being sprayed out in the middle of the day in front of the meat department,” attorney Jon Markso said. “At trial, Kroger’s defense was to blame Brian for his heroic actions. The verdict sends a clear message to Kroger that Brian’s actions should be commended, and that Brian literally gave up his hands in the line of duty at the expense of himself and his family is priceless.”
