A Michigan jury has awarded over $75 million to a man who lost both hands in an explosion at a Kroger store.
The victim, 37-year-old Brian Mierendorf, was working as a pipefitter journeyman and HVAC technician at the Bloomfield Township Kroger in 2020. While servicing the refrigeration system, a defective R22 refrigerant line exploded, causing catastrophic injuries. R22 is now banned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency due to its dangers.
Mierendorf suffered severe chemical burns and required 25 surgeries. Most of both of his hands were amputated due to the injuries. According to his legal team at Marko Law, the explosion occurred while Brian was trying to prevent toxic chemicals from harming others in the store.
Kroger, one of the largest grocery chains in the United States, was unable to provide any maintenance or inspection records for the refrigeration system during the trial. The only document presented was a partially filed incident report, submitted more than two years after the accident.
“Kroger had a ticking time bomb in its store,” said attorney Jon Marko. “It blew up on Brian while he tried to protect others. He gave up his hands in the line of duty, and the jury recognized that sacrifice.”
Kroger’s defense reportedly tried to shift blame onto Brian, arguing that his actions led to the incident. But the jury didn’t buy it.
In the end, they awarded $75,600,000 in damages, a sum that Marko Law says sends a message: safety negligence comes at a cost.
This case highlights the lasting impact of workplace injuries and the legal system’s role in holding corporations accountable. As Jon Marko put it, “This verdict isn’t just for Brian. It’s for every worker who risks everything just to do their job.”