Man's fingers severed during basketball goal assembly; suit claims loss of enjoyment of life

A man who severed two fingers while assembling a portable basketball goal known as "The Beast" is suing the manufacturer and others.

Ed Mader claims the Spalding backboard assembly he was working on swung down violently while he was trying to stand up the goal, according to a suit removed to federal court in the Eastern Distrit of Louisiana.

Mader originally filed suit against Russell Corp., Spalding Backboards and XYZ Insurance Co. on Jan. 11 in the 24th Judicial District Court for Jefferson Parish. Russell Corp. removed the case on March 5.

Mader claims he was "being careful to follow all manufacturer's instructions and heed all manufacturer's warnings to the letter."

The lawsuit alleges the defendants are liable for breach of warranty, failure to properly design its product, for inherent defects in design and manufacture of its product, intentional misrepresentation and failure to properly warn and provide proper instructions in the assembly and use of its product.

Mader believes the basketball goal violated the Louisiana Products Liability Act and Louisiana's negligence laws.

He is seeking an unspecified amount of damages for medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Mader is represented by J. Thomas Beasley of New Orleans.

U.S. District Judge Helen G. Berrigan is assigned to the case.

Case No. 2:10cv00809