Cole County business named in wrongful death suit

A Cole County business had been named in a wrongful death lawsuit alleging a worker died after becoming overheated on a roofing project.

Weathercraft Inc. on Osage Bend Road, along with owner Matthew Fifer, are named in a suit filed Friday in Cole County Circuit Court.

The family of Darren Laird filed the suit after they said he died of negligence on the part of the company and two supervisors, Brent Parris, of Jefferson City, and Jeff Cramer, of Columbia.

The lawsuit alleges Laird was working for Weathercraft, which was installing roofing materials at Helias High School, in August 2016.

Laird's family states in the lawsuit he had only been employed by the company for three days when temperatures reached 86 degrees with a heat index of 90 on Aug. 17, 2016. The family claims Laird was not properly trained to deal with such hot temperatures while he transported roofing materials to other employees.

According to the suit, Laird reportedly told his supervisors and fellow employees he wasn't feeling well and he left the roof, eventually becoming delirious and faint. The family said no co-workers or supervisors followed Laird to assist him, and he was found collapsed on the ground.

Laird was taken to University Hospital in Columbia where he was found to have a body temperature of 107. One day later, Laird died from organ failure, hemorrhaging and other heat-related issues.

The lawsuit states Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated Laird's death and ultimately fined and or penalized Weathercraft for its acts and/or admissions in this matter.

The Laird family is asking the court to award a monetary amount that the court deems fair and reasonable for expenses they incurred and damages they suffered.

Cole County Judge Jon Beetem has been assigned the case.