Farm family lost milking herd due to stray voltage issues on their dairy farm
A Cass County jury awarded Randy and Peggy Norman of rural Pine River $6.3 million in damages after losing their dairy herd due to electrical stray voltage coursing through their farm for twenty years. The utility, Crow Wing Power, based in Brainerd MN, was found negligent in the delivery of electricity to the farm resulting in injury or death of dairy cows.
Attorneys from Bird, Jacobsen and Stevens and Mahler Law Office in Rochester, MN represented the Normans. "Randy Norman repeatedly asked Crow Wing Power for assistance in addressing the ongoing struggles with his dairy herd and diminishing milk production, but the utility was dismissive of his complaints", said Jeremy Steven of Bird, Jacobsen & Stevens.
The jury heard testimony that Norman offered to pay for corrective action necessary to fix the problem in 2011, and Crow Wing Power refused, yet their policy provides members with the right to obtain new service upon demand. Stray voltage on dairy farms is an often overlooked problem for high producing dairy cows.
Attorneys Charles Bird, Jeremy Stevens and Will Mahler represented the Normans.
11.6.2014