5 Million Trial Opens Over Lab Accident at St. Louis Cannabis Facility 🌿⚖️

Описание: A major lawsuit is now underway in St. Louis, where California cannabis consultant Mark Avent says a 2022 lab accident left him with permanent heart damage and ended his career in the industry.
Avent and his wife, Lisa, are seeking $5 million in damages from Blue Arrow Missouri LLC, the company that owns the cultivation and manufacturing site at 5401 Bulwer Ave.
According to opening statements:
In 2022, a lab technician mishandled a commercial vacuum, causing it to blast fine marijuana dust into the air. Avent inhaled the cloud, suffered a severe asthma attack, and collapsed minutes later. He lost consciousness in the ambulance, and ER doctors had to insert a heart stent to save his life. Four years later, his attorney says he still hasn’t fully recovered.
Avent’s lawyer, William Meehan, told jurors:
“This was an accident that shouldn’t have happened. It was preventable, and they haven’t taken responsibility.”
Blue Arrow founder John Wilbers took the stand and acknowledged the incident, reading from the OSHA report that stated:
The technician failed to immediately shut down the equipment
The door should have been closed during processing
Wilbers told reporters the company isn’t trying to hide anything:
“If somebody’s injured, we’re going to help them.”
But the key dispute is how much they should pay. Wilbers, a personal injury attorney himself, says Avent had a preexisting asthmatic condition and argues the medical claims are exaggerated.
Meehan pushed back, saying Avent was healthy, active, and had no heart issues before the accident. He now struggles with heart damage, memory loss, and ongoing medical bills. On top of that, he’s lost roughly $130,000 a year in income because he can no longer work in the cannabis industry.
Meehan summed it up for the jury:
“His personal life has been turned upside down.”
The trial continues this week as both sides battle over responsibility — and the price of a career-ending injury.