Teacher’s family has new filing in suit over death by utility pole

WAGENER, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - The family of the Wagener-Salley High School teacher has a new filing in their lawsuit after she was killed by a falling utility pole.

The family of 31-year-old Jeunelle Robinson is suing Dominion Energy, Comporium and PBT Telecom over the Aug. 16, 2023, tragedy.

The family’s attorneys have filed offers of judgment against Dominion Energy and Comporium.

With the filing, the clock starts ticking on the accrual of interest in the event there is a verdict against the companies, the family’s attorneys said Monday.

Each offer will begin incurring $5.2 million in interest per year through the plaintiff obtaining a verdict equal to or above the offer amount, according to the attorneys.

EARLIER NEWS 12 COVERAGE:

• Wagener-Salley teacher killed by falling power pole on Main Street
• Locals describe accident that killed Wagener-Salley teacher
• Family discusses utility-pole accident that killed local teacher

Family attorney Justin Bamberg said big companies can outspend their opponents and drag out a case for years before it goes to trial or they settle. Offers of judgment help prevent defendants from unnecessarily prolonging a case, he said.

The social studies teacher was walking south on Main Street when a northbound tractor-trailer struck overhead power lines, causing a power pole to fall on her, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

Robinson tried to get out of the way but couldn’t.

The 113-page lawsuit alleges the condition of the poles and power lines in Wagener played a large part in Robinson’s death. The lawsuit says the pole was more than 70 years old.

The lawsuit says the defendants had a duty to maintain their infrastructure in safe, proper order and condition so the risk of harm to innocent bystanders was minimized or alleviated, and to ensure that all staff, employees, agents and representatives were adequately and properly trained, supervised, evaluated and monitored.

The lawsuit includes several photos of utility poles and other equipment that the defendants say show “decrepit infrastructure in Wagener that is dangerous to the public, abandoned, well outside its safe and effective operational life, and needs replacement or removal.”

Here are some of the examples included in the lawsuit:

“Dominion Energy did not own the telecommunications pole that struck Jeunelle Robinson. We extend our deepest condolences to her family,” said Dominion Energy in a statement.

The lawsuit says the damages and injuries suffered by the plaintiff are a result of the defendants’ “negligent, careless, reckless, grossly negligent, willful, and wanton conduct.”

The lawsuit seeks actual and punitive damages as determined by a jury.

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