$606,000 Awarded to Washington Township Man for Job-Related Injury

A Camden County jury awarded a total of $606,000 to a Washington Township man who was fired from the Weyerhauser Company less than two months after he was injured on the job and sought workers' compensation benefits.

The verdict includes $86,000 to cover lost wages, $70,000 for emotional distress and $450,000 in punitive damages.

According to the testimony at the trial, Anthony Boyle, now 39 years old, was injured on September 10, 2001 when a 600 pound bale of waxy cardboard packaging material fell from a conveyor belt at the Barrington plant.

Boyle had submitted a successful bid to operate a forklift at the plant, but could not return to that job because he was being medicated for the back injury.

Boyle stopped taking one of the medications, relying on aspirin for pain, and was assigned to work as a mechanical sweeper. The sweeper had no power steering, and stressed his arms and shoulders, aggravating his injury. When he was terminated, company officials said he was violating the substance abuse policy.