High Court Nixes Negligence Claim for Lack of Actual Knowledge

The Iowa Supreme Court reversed a $2.84 million jury verdict in a gross negligence case, finding that although supervisors knew the general hazards of surface mining, there was no evidence they had actual knowledge of the specific peril that led to Michael L. Griffith's death. Griffith, 30, died on the job after falling through a catwalk gate at the Wendling Quarries mine Jan. 8, 2020.  A jury, the district court and the court of appeals relied on a cursory safety inspection and failure to check the gate as proof of gross negligence, but the high court said constructive knowledge &m...