Man Burned at Minnesota Brewery Awarded $56 Million

A St. Paul, Minn., man who was severely scalded by hot water while working at a local brewery is due to receive $56 million in damages and interest after filing a lawsuit six years ago.

A Ramsey County jury awarded DeWarren Harris more than $35 million this week after finding that Summit Brewing Company and the makers of a power-washing hose were negligent. Harris, 33, was cleaning a warehouse floor at the St. Paul brewery in May 2014 when a connector on the hose he was using failed and 180-degree water was released.

Harris was burned over 40 percent of his body and spent about six weeks in the hospital.

The jurors in Harris’ personal injury lawsuit assigned 85 percent of the responsibility for the incident to the hose manufacturer, Continental ContiTech and Campbell, and the remaining 15 percent to Summit.

Harris is also in line to collect another $21 million in interest, which has been accruing since initial legal action was taken in 2016, his attorney Bruce Rivers told the Star Tribune.

“He just lives in incredible pain,” Rivers said Thursday. “The kid just went through hell, and it’s so amazing to be able to give him respite. He had nightmares for over a year.”

Harris could be paid in full by the end of the year, Rivers said. Any appeal of the verdict, however, would put the payout on hold.