Wrongful-death lawsuit filed against Boardman company

YOUNGSTOWN — The estate of a worker who died in a sewer installation trench collapse nearly 14 months ago in Hudson has sued the Boardman company that dug the trench for more than $1 million.

The civil lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court by the estate of James Wetzl, 56, of Canfield, who died in the April 7, 2010, collapse of the 15-foot-deep trench.

The suit seeks more than $25,000 in compensatory damages and more than $1 million in punitive damages against the excavating company, A. Bagnoli & Sons Inc., which the suit says negligently failed to follow proper work site safety procedures.

Another worker, Albert Joseph Bagnoli Jr., 59, of Youngstown, was rescued after being trapped for five hours in the trench and hospitalized with serious injuries.

Immediately after the accident, U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials said the trench was not properly shored up to prevent its collapse.

The wrongful-death lawsuit, which demands a jury trial, was filed by Attys. David J. Betras and Brian P. Kopp and assigned to Judge R. Scott Krichbaum.