A 73-year-old military veteran from Oregon tragically lost his life after falling into a construction trench while returning home in his motorized wheelchair. This incident prompted his family to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit, which reached a settlement this month. The lawsuit was filed against the state of Oregon and local contractors, with the family alleging that workers at the site had given him permission to cross.

Carl Wescott, a resident of Sweet Home, sustained severe injuries including an open ankle fracture-dislocation, fractures to his left upper arm and left fibula, as well as extensive damage to the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and soft tissues in various parts of his body. These details were outlined in the lawsuit, which was reported by the Albany Democrat-Herald and the Corvallis Gazette-Times.

The lawsuit mentioned, “Carl Wescott spent his final days in a hospital bed.”

Wescott passed away two weeks following the accident. Prior to his hospitalization, he was already dealing with kidney disease, atrial fibrillation, and diabetes, according to his family. He encountered the construction site at the intersection of 18th Avenue and Main Street in Sweet Home, which was managed by Lane County contractors, specifically identified as Wildish Construction of Eugene, C-2 Utility Contractors of Coburg, and Lantz Electric of Eugene.

The family claimed that Wescott was permitted to navigate through the construction area both on his way to and from a nearby store. They alleged that an employee of C-2 Utility moved a backhoe to facilitate his passage through the blocked intersection. However, the contractor refuted responsibility for the fatal incident, arguing in court documents that Wescott’s own negligence was the cause of his injuries, as reported by the Democrat-Herald and Gazette-Times.

Lantz Electric also denied responsibility and reportedly said it was Wescott’s fault that he died. The company claimed in court docs that Wescott was told not to reenter the construction zone and to instead find an alternate route that would allow him to pass safely. State officials also claimed Wescott was responsible for what happened.

The lawsuit had a trial date set for May 2026 before it was settled this month. A Linn County court dismissed the case on Dec. 19, according to online court records.

The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed. Wescott’s family had been seeking $2.35 million in damages.