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$2 million settlement for a worker who lost their arm in a meat grinder

The defendant, MPBS Industries, sold an unguarded headstock for a meat grinder to the plaintiff’s employer. On December 14, 2010, the plaintiff was operating a sample meat grinder at Central Valley Meat Company when her dominant right hand and then arm were pulled into the unguarded headstock grinder, into the worm mechanism and then through the grate/grinding mechanism causing a right arm amputation just below the elbow. The meat grinder being used by the plaintiff lacked a safety guard, which would have prevented accidental entanglement with the machine’s moving parts including the feeder worm. Mr. Kabateck negotiated a $2 million settlement for his client after the defendant’s initial settlement offer was $100k.