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Widow Claims Her Husband Was Smothered By Bunk

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Wrongful DeathAccording to the Courthouse News Service, on September 22, 2012, James Reynolds smothered to death in the bunk of his Freightliner Columbus at the Travel Centers of America Truck Stop in London, Ohio.

His body was discovered in the bunk four days later.  An autopsy showed that he died of severe hydration, “secondary to his prolonged entrapment.”

Reynolds’ widow claims her husband became trapped between the mattress and the wall of the truck when his fold-down bunk closed up on him while he was sleeping.  Reynolds “struggled to open the bunk and/or free himself of the compartment for an extended period of time, but was unable to take full breaths and ultimately died,” his widow said.

Georgia Bonney, Reyonlds’ widow, claims the bunk “was designed with insufficient safety mechanisms to ensure that an individual using the bed … would not become trapped inside.”

Reynolds had purchased the truck for $160,000 less than a month before his death.  AA Truck Sleeper of Fort Worth had installed the fold-out bunk.

Bonney is suing for wrongful death and product liability.

Drivers, have any of you experienced problems with fold-up bunks?  

Source: Courthouse News Service

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