Gideon Asen Attorneys Inspected Scene of Rumford Paper Mill Case

Today, attorneys from Gideon Asen visited the Rumford Mill in Rumford, Maine, to inspect the scene of a devastating workplace fall that left a worker with catastrophic, life-changing injuries.

The site inspection is part of Gideon Asen’s ongoing work in a federal lawsuit filed on behalf of the worker’s family. The lawsuit alleges that the worker fell approximately 80 feet through the opening of a chimney shaft and landed in an industrial boiler nine stories below. According to the complaint, he had been directed to work inside a permit-required confined space near an open vertical drop without proper fall protection, monitoring, or rescue systems in place.

At the Rumford Mill, Gideon Asen attorneys examined the area connected to the fall and documented conditions relevant to the case. In a complex industrial setting, details matter. The distance between work areas, the location of openings, the presence or absence of guardrails, and the practical realities workers faced on the job can become important evidence when evaluating responsibility.

The lawsuit alleges that multiple companies operating at the mill failed to follow basic workplace safety requirements and exposed workers to an extreme and preventable hazard. OSHA later issued citations following its investigation, including citations related to fall protection and confined space safety.

The worker survived the fall but suffered devastating injuries, including traumatic brain injury, respiratory collapse, internal bleeding, multiple fractures, and permanent physical and cognitive impairment. The complaint states that he can no longer walk, speak, or care for himself and now requires lifelong medical care and supervision.

Gideon Asen represents people and families facing the most serious consequences of negligence. In cases like this, our work does not stop at reviewing documents. We investigate, inspect, consult with experts, and build the case from the ground up.