Suit seeks at least $900K for man’s death when arm severed by conveyor

A wrongful death lawsuit filed Friday in Cook County Circuit Court seeks more than $900,000 for a man’s death last year when his arm became trapped in machinery at a Far South Side industrial plant.

In the morning of April 11, 2016, 70-year-old Julio Huerta’s left arm became caught in a conveyor belt and was severed at Napuck Salvage of Waupaca in the 11600 block of South Burley, according to Chicago police and fire officials and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Huerta was taken to Trinity Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. He lived in Calumet City.

The 18-count suit was filed by Juanita Huerta against Napuck Salvage of Waupaca; Reserve Management Group; Transfer Logistics, LLC; Regency Technologies, LLC; South Chicago Property Management Company; South Shore Recycling, LLC; JPI, LTD; Conviber, Inc.; and W.S.W. Industrial maintences, according to the court documents. The suit seeks more than $100,000 in damages for from each company.

Guards on or around the conveyor were removed prior to Huerta’s entrapment, and employees were not properly trained or supervised, the suit alleges.