A jury in Eau Claire County has returned a $5.5 million verdict against Menard, Inc., assigning 100% fault to the corporation and the operator for a workplace injury caused by unsafe forklift practices at Menards’ Distribution Center.
The $5.5 million verdict is one of the largest known forklift injury verdicts against Menards in Wisconsin. The verdict against Menards is a major victory for workers and workplace safety throughout the Country.
Attorney Chris MacGillis of MacGillis Law Group presented the case to an Eau Claire jury. Chris has obtained numerous significant verdicts/settlements against major corporations and insurance companies. Known for his relatable, authentic style, Chris has a track record of winning catastrophic injury cases, often being brought in by other lawyers to try their cases.
“We are very proud of this win and what it means for workers and workplace safety in Wisconsin and across the country,” said MacGillis. “The real heroes here are the client and the jury. They had the courage and strength to stand up to Menards and send a clear message.”
According to MacGillis, “These are the types of verdicts that lead to change. Hopefully Menards will do the right thing and make safety a top priority in the workplace.”
Historic Victory for Workplace Safety in Menards’ Hometown
The plaintiff, a 46-year-old truck driver, was struck in the head by metal pallets as they were being moved by a temporary worker while operating a forklift at Menards’ Eau Claire facility. The truck driver sustained a severe laceration across his head, which required emergency surgery and left him with permanent injuries.
Menards denied responsibility, arguing the load may have fallen on its own and attempted to shift blame to both the temp agency and the injured truck driver. The evidence, however, revealed that Menards did not properly certify, train, or supervise the temporary worker before allowing him to operate the forklift. At trial, multiple Menards’ employees acknowledged that the forklift operator violated a known safety rule.
MacGillis presented evidence of prior, similar forklift incidents at Menards’ Distribution Centers and that Menards failed to address known safety issues. MacGillis argued that this workplace incident was entirely “preventable” if Menards had properly certified, trained, and supervised its forklift operators as required by OSHA and other industry standards.
The jury rejected Menards’ defenses entirely, placing no fault on the truck driver and 100% fault on Menards and its operator.
A Clear Message of Accountability and Workplace Safety
The jury’s verdict reflects what the evidence made clear: corporations must be accountable for workplace training and safety. When corporations rely on temporary labor in high-risk environments without proper training and oversight, the consequences can be severe. Here, the jury saw a pattern of ignored safety risks, blame shifting, and a failure to take responsibility even after serious injury.
“Our client followed the rules. Menards didn’t. The jury understood that—and their verdict makes clear that cutting corners on safety, especially with untrained workers, is unacceptable,” said MacGillis.