Faulty Pump Spewed Gasoline and Burned Lockport Woman's Lungs: Lawsuit
A Lockport woman claims her lungs were injured when a pump at a Homer Glen service station malfunctioned.
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A malfunctioning gas pump spewed fuel into a Lockport woman's lungs and landed her in the hospital for a week, said the lawyer suing an oil company on her behalf.
"The way she described it to me, it was like her lungs were on fire and she couldn't catch her breath," attorney Frank Cservenyak said of his client, 64-year-old Martha Farmer.
Farmer was pumping gas into her car at the 12007 159th St. Speedway station in Homer Glen in January 2011 when the pump failed to shut off, according to the lawsuit, which was filed in Will County court.
The pump kept running and continued "to spray gasoline upon patrons," the suit says.
"You take it for granted that it's going to turn off," said Cservenyak, telling how gasoline "mist and vapor" got into Farmer's lungs while the out-of-control pump was discharging fuel.
The lawsuit names Speedway, Speedway SuperAmerica and Marathon Oil Company as defendants. Speedway is based in Springfield, Ohio, and Marathon Oil is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Dave
6:30 am on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Be interesting to see why she was not able to stop the pump by diaengaging the lever. Never trust the auto shutoff. Happenes to me where about a quarter gallon spilled over when I realized it was not stopping. If it was jammed there is also supposed to be the REPO (remote emergency power off) button away from the pump she could have used. Whenever I pump gas I alwaya look for that button in case of fire. It is possible she was negligent also in dispensing the fuel. I don't think I've been to that Speedway so I am unsure of the layout and equipment used.
Dennis
7:25 am on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Gee-I guess I will sue BP because of all the 'huffing' I've done!
Bob Laird
7:53 am on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
A malfunctioning gas pump spewed fuel into a Lockport woman's lungs and landed her in the
UMMM? What was her face doing next to the nozzle? I doubt if she was negligent, we fuel cars all the time, you just pull the lever and set the latch, hard to screw that up. Another legal lottery ticket?
Mary Carumba
10:44 am on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
The security cameras will tell the truth.
Betty Jaeger
1:36 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
anything to get a buck. total BS
Erika Myette
4:26 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Seriously guys? You all are pretty cynical and mean.
hazelgreen
5:37 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Would love to read the article, but there is a huge, annoying ad covering the article with no way of clearing it on my phone. Third time this has happened. PATCH, can you fix it please.
sweet heart
1:10 pm on Thursday, January 10, 2013
Yes, why was her face next to the nozzle? She breath it into her lung"s to get a high
or she just watching the gasoline to pour out more so she can get it in her eye:s and
go blind. IS,that away to get more money out of company:s. Did she go to the hospitial
afterward:s ot she just drive off and get a lawyer,
awgeez!
8:36 am on Saturday, January 12, 2013
Hey! When ya gotta have it...ya gotta have it! She probably thought it was a "GOOD IDEA" at the time.....
Joe
10:37 am on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
You all are absolutely moronic! Face next to the nozzle? Did she drive off? How bout getting the facts before you admit just how ignorant you are by posting stupid comments on here.
The Guy From The Game, Operation
1:23 am on Sunday, April 21, 2013
Really big on calling people "morons" or "ignorant". I will be watching you now. Get ready for total comment patrolling.
Chris M
11:59 am on Friday, February 1, 2013
I just had a similar incident happen to me yesterday. Luckily my face was not sprayed. The fuel pump at a Conoco station on Rancho California Road in Temecula California failed to shut off and sprayed on me and my car before I could get it shut off. What makes me angry is that the manager says "that could not have happened" and won't even look into getting the faulty equipment checked. So now I'm online looking for other incidents. Yes, it can happen.
Chris M
11:59 am on Friday, February 1, 2013
Maybe I should borrow her lawyer.