Company wins appeal in lawsuit by man who lost hand in saw

CLINTON, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a pallet company in a dispute over a workplace incident that severed a man’s hand in Lenawee County.

Colby Smith accused Michigan Pallet and others of failing to ensure that a safety mechanism was working properly on a powerful saw. The state appeals court said the lawsuit could go to trial, but the Supreme Court overturned that decision last Wednesday.

In a brief order, the court unanimously said there’s no evidence that Michigan Pallet and Smith’s bosses had a “specific intent” to injure him or that they knew an injury was certain to occur in 2009.

Michigan Pallet produces millions of new and recycled pallets each year.