Jury Awards Cannabis Consultant $3M in Damages Related to Accident at St. Louis Facility  

A St. Louis, Missouri jury last week awarded a cannabis consultant $3
million in damages stemming from a 2022 accident at a cannabis laboratory
that ended his career in the industry, the Missouri Independent reports.
Mark Avent was helping build out the Blue Arrow Missouri LLC in St. Louis
when a lab technician accidentally mishandled a commercial vacuum used to
clean equipment. The vacuum blew fine cannabis particles into the air, and
Avent suffered a severe asthma attack that led to a heart attack.

Following a four-day trial, the jury unanimously found that Blue Arrow was
at fault for 85% of Avent’s injuries, while Avent was 15% at fault, and
awarded $2.5 million in damages to Avent and $500,000 to his wife, Lisa,
for distress. Avent had sought $5 million in damages.

A separate lawsuit will determine which of Blue Arrow’s insurance companies
will cover the award, but John Wilbers, founder and chairman of Blue Arrow
– and a personal injury attorney himself – told the Independent that
“If somebody’s injured, we’re going to help them.”

Avent said that on top of the medical bills, which included ambulance
service and a stent in his heart, he has lost at least $130,000 a year
because he can no longer work in the industry.

Blue Arrow’s attorneys did not indicate whether they plan to appeal the
verdict.